I Sat Down
Moses experienced a horrific event in his life. Exodus 1:15 records that he was running for his life from his life in Egypt. He ran to Midian. And the scripture tells us that he sat down by a well.
As he sat by the well, Moses assisted Reuel’s daughters which resulted in him being invited to their home. In time, Moses married one of the daughters, Zipporah, and they had a son.
One day, God spoke to Moses. He instructed Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. The very place that Moses fled. He was being asked by God to go back.
It seems Moses was at a crossroad at the well. He stopped and sat down. I wonder did he think I’ve gone far enough now. I’m far removed from pain and fear and my sins. He did not realize that his encounter at the well would be the beginning of a new life.
But then there’s this burning bush. God speaks and Moses realizes that his new life moving forward involves him going back.
The day after Christmas I came home and started taking down my Christmas decorations. I wanted this first most difficult holiday without my father to be over. I wanted no reminder it is his favorite time of the year. But then the Spirit spoke. I will not be able to move forward without going back. My rush to remove reminders would not change anything as I attempted to move into this “new life” without my father. I cannot go forward until I sit down. God has a new assignment but it requires me to go back to a life I’ve tried to flee. I like Moses have all of these questions and insecurities. And God still says as He did to Moses, “certainly I will be with you”. I sat down. I gave the decorations a few more days. I reflected. Here I am about to move forward into a new year with a new assignment.
Many times we want to move forward and beyond horrific places in our lives. But we cannot truly move forward without going back. We must acknowledge the pain and the insecurities of going back. It is not until we face the pain of the past that we can move forward with the next assignment given to us. At some point, we have to stop fleeing. And we have to sit down. Preferably at the burning bush. So that we can hear God speak.
#MoMusing #pondering