Four Faith-Forward Lessons from the Life of Moses

Posted on by Michele Morin

In a couple of months, I’ll be celebrating two years of blogging.  When my pastor first invited me to be a guest writer for the church’s blog, I could barely breathe whenever I clicked on that “publish” button — and that really hasn’t changed too much.  What has changed, however, is my understanding of bold believing, my willingness to trust God with the risk of putting my words “out there” to invisible readers.  I’m finding that God is not looking for a different Michele to carry His Truth.

Fortunately, I’m not the first follower to need this bit of encouragement, and Sharon Jaynes unpacks the “Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold” lesson that God revealed to Moses.  Take Hold of the Faith You Long For addresses my objections to a bold following, my amnesia about the nature of the God who calls, and my desire to cling to the timid reluctance that characterizes the lives of most believers.

Sharon speaks from experience. Feeling stuck between the Red Sea and the Promised Land, Sharon longed to move from “knowing the promise to believing the promise” in her life of faith.  She has discovered in the story of Moses and the burning bush a rescue mission in which God lifted Moses out of his insecurity and into his true identity through a revelation of God’s own power and presence.  The result of her study is a pondering of Moses’ four questions that were forever settled for him there on the holy ground that surrounded the burning bush:

  1.  “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  

It turns out that Moses was asking the wrong question, for it was not who Moses was, but, rather, who God is that made all the difference, for He is the God who chooses, who loves, who enables, and who accepts His children with grace and patience.  God’s presence and His abundant promises made all the difference for Moses as he moved into his new leadership role.

2.  “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”

With this objection, Moses learned the glorious truth that the Great I AM would fill in all his perceived gaps, giving him words to say and showing him what to do. God is not looking for perfection in our era either.  With all our inferiority and insecurity, the underlying statement is a sense of inadequacy:
I’m not smart enough.
I’m not experienced enough.
I’m not talented enough.  Fill in the blank with your own . . .
I’m not _____________ enough.

In every case, the answer is the same:  God replies, “I AM,” just as He did with Moses.

3.  “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’”

Maybe you have been belittled in the past.  Perhaps you are carrying an identity that is freighted with failure.  At the burning bush, Moses was confronted with the shame of his past and encouraged to move forward with a new God-given identity.  He could choose to forgive himself and others and move on, or he could have elected to stay in bondage to the past.  Forgiveness does not absolve the offender, deny the wrong, or lessen the evil of whatever has been committed.  The Greek word for forgiveness carries overtones of freedom and release, and this applies to both the offender and to the individual who was wronged.

Sharon also challenges her readers to let go of the “what if’s” and to move into “sure-footed confidence” in God’s messages of hope.

4.  “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

With one of many relevant and heart-warming stories from her own life, Sharon reveals a first-grade memory from her own days of being slow-of-reading.  Today God is up-ending her insecurity around words in her career as a writer.  She has written twenty books, and I’m smiling as I read a New Testament testimonial to the life and ministry of Moses:

“And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.”  Acts 7:22

Mighty in words and deeds.

God washed away the stain of the REJECT stamp from Moses’ life, and Paul invites us to learn from this stunning example:

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  Romans 15:4

Let Moses’ fireside conversation with God answer your objections to a bold faith — and then move forward into the faith you long for.

//

This book was provided by BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and five adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

35 thoughts on “Four Faith-Forward Lessons from the Life of Moses”

  1. “Let Moses’ fireside conversation with God answer your objections to a bold faith — and then move forward into the faith you long for.” Yes, yes, yes, Michele! And I love that your first “lesson” here is that Moses was asking the wrong question. What a good point, as I know I do that all the time. Thanks for pointing me toward I AM this morning. Stopping by from both Thankful Thursdays and Party at My Place! 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Wow, I am continually amazed at how God sends us what we need exactly when we need it the most! You will never know how edifying this is to me this morning, and how much I needed this encouragement concerning changes that are happening. Sometimes, it can feel like things are so confusing, and I need to be reminded that it is GOD Himself Who winnows our path, and the things that are happening have already passed through His hand and received His go-ahead. I recently heard someone say, “Sometimes, you just have to trust what God did and did not allow.” It takes so much faith to move forward, when you are terrified of change, and everything within you longs to hold on to what is and what was. Thank you for the courage you gave me today. God bless you, Michele. This sounds like a wonderful book!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. The story of Moses is my favorite and continually reminds me of how I am enough in God’s eyes. Wonderful reminders here Michele.

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    1. Don’t you love how God addressed every single one of Moses’ objections – not with a sappy, “Oh, yes you can, honey,” but with a strong and bracing reminder of who He is?

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  4. When my husband was called to preach, he asked these questions. Our pastor told him God uses those who least think they are capable. I’m going to have to get this book, since it is focused on faith. We can all use a little encouragement in the faith department. Thanks for linking up with Thankful Thursdays.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. So true, and so often we either hide our insecurity or we let it control us. Better to bring it to God and have it dealt with as Moses did. Thanks, Lori, for your encouragement.

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  8. My favorite song from The Story collection is Who am I, a first person lyric song of Moses. His story is one that shows how God can use us in all our weaknesses and strengths when we get out of our way. Thanks for this review that is full of wisdom!

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  9. I have not read any books by Sharon Jaynes that I can recall but this one sounds like one that is perfect for me right now. God has been calling me to live boldly in this season of my life. There has been some reality checks along the way with the caring of my dad but God has not stopped calling me to run hard after Him. If I could only learn your trick for reading so many books, I would get this book to ass to my library. I’m already behind on finishing what I already have. Have a great day and beginning to the new week.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve enjoyed reading about your forays in to bold living – and I truly include your caring for your father in that “running hard” after God. Blessings, Mary.

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  10. I needed this message from Sharon and through you, Michele. I relate to Moses on many levels and love the truths you’ve mined from Sharon’s book to share with us. Sounds like an inspiring read! Thanks for reading and sharing with us, my friend!

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  11. How exciting to be blogging for almost two years now, Michele! I think it is awesome that your pastor asked you to write for the church’s blog. Your writing offers such encouragement. Thank you for sharing about this book. It sounds excellent! Hope you have a wonderful week 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  14. What wonderfully strong encouragement, my friend! As you started and shared your uncertainty about putting yourself out there via writing a blog, I can so identify as I have just passed the one year mark. Your review clearly convicted me of how many times my responses have been much like those of Moses, but I didn’t see that until this excellent review! Thanks so much….again!!

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  15. Michele, this is a wonderful review. I love learning from Moses and added this to my “summer reading” list. I think there is a little bit of Moses in us all & I am very thankful to be able to learn from his life. Blessings!

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  16. Another great review Michele. I am wrapping up gmg Deuteronomy study and am always surprised how much is still applicable for me today… Thanks for sharing with#thecozyreadingspot

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Hi Michelle, how are you? I have seen this book recently not sure where now. It will certainly make a good read, no doubt. I like the title and all the excerpts you put here too.
    How have you been friend?
    With much love,
    God Bless

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  20. Living with this kind of faith can be so hard and I often find myself in the same boat as Moses, questioning. And yet I can find so much encouragement with how God used Moses despite His fears. I’m currently reading Believing God by Beth Moore and it touches on many of these topics. Definitely something that we need to be active about! Thanks for sharing 🙂

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