Thursday, April 10, 2008

Father, step us up.

Many, many, many thoughts this morning!!!

I've been in Exodus again this morning. Learning more and more about how God used Moses. Maybe you wonder why I'm so obsessed with him? I guess, I can just identify with how inadequate Moses was. I'm fascinated that God continued to give him chance after chance to do His work. I'm intrigued as to what it was that set Moses apart SO much! What did this man have that was worthy of this call on his life?

And I found my answer this morning: Nothing.

As I stumbled through to Chapter seven, desperately trying to find the answer to my question, I saw it. Nothing. There was nothing incredible, worthy or important about Moses. In fact, I could write A WHOLE post as to why he was NOT worthy, not ready, not capable and just not "right" for this. I mean, his brother, Aaron.....yes, I could see that. But Moses, NO.

But still, God CHOOSE HIM. Still, God spoke to Him, Still God believed in Him!!

I don't know if at the moment I can think of anyone in the bible that God so set apart like this. The doubts, the fears, the failures, the ready to just give it up! But God still, even still, so gently continued to remind Moses of the "name of God". The "power of God". The "courage of God". Never by anything Moses did, only by His Name. But that assurance in God's name, it was missing at first with Moses.

Something is missing in this world. Something is missing in people's hearts. Something is turning the pages of time in ways that do not allow us to have an eternal perspective.

Where has our respect, our love and fear of the "Name of God" gone? How we change it, alter it and make His Name into something it's not. A curse word, a "being", a "life within us", a tree, a bird, a flower, "WE".......yes, people are changing the name of God into those things!

The respect for God, the revere for God, the love for God as our eternal King....it's fading. But just as later in these scriptures we will discover the "laws" that were given to Moses, in John chapter 1:7 it says, "For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

As I read about Moses this morning, the Lord spoke to me and said, "This is what's missing.......the grace that I, and only I can give." Never, never, never by anything we can do, but through Him who gives us the strength, courage and revere for His name! Oh how I never want to take credit for anything God does through me. Never.

And just as Moses needed to have "his heart and lips re galvanized by divine grace" (via my commentary)........THAT is what we need ya'll. Our hearts and lips have got to return the the grace of God. The revere of God. The name of God.

I realized that I may have just stepped on some toes.......I know I have readers of this blog who do not believe that Jesus Christ made the way on the cross for eternity. But as I feel so strongly that so many women, God-fearing women, are turning their backs on the name of God........I have felt the voice of the Lord say, "Step it up, make my name known. Be bold, love bold, cherish boldly, give boldly, serve boldly.......be bold, but be bold in My name". Not to act like snobs, or "God's chosen few" or anything like that........Just loving others in the true name of God. Showing them who God is, not in anger, resentment or hatred......just love and revere for His name.

Ok, well, this was a very long, bold move and I would love, love, love to hear others "step up". Why is the name of God sacred to you?

8 comments:

Speaking Thru Me Ministries said...

amen sister!!! keep pressing on and pressing in!!! Name above all names - even for those that don't believe!! love you!

Kim said...

Girl, we were in one accord today -weren't we? Great post! I do believe though that there is soon going to be a great divide - the world may view it as a cultural war but I see it as a bridge for the One that we know will be victorious....whew - chill bumps as I type.

It is time to step it up for this generation that we are raising....we have a lot to lose if we do not. Nicki, what I posted today is the hidden danger of the public school classroom that I speak of....I can remember the day that I was warned from public school administration that "If I said ANYTHING about ANYONE'S sexual orientation that I would be shown the door - But Praise God - HE opened one for me!" Whew....Can we just have church today?

Sharon Brumfield said...

Good post!
I do believe that we have lost the fear of the Lord. Some want to use the word respect instead of fear.
I would say that this has a whole lot to do with not knowing Him. With our society making Him "human".
There are times when I am contemplating doing something that I should not and the Holy Spirit speaks to me in warning--and I feel the fear.
He has asked (told) us to walk a line and yet many refuse. Refuse I think because they don't truly know who they say they serve.
I would say that the lack of love in their hearts for God allows them to continue to act the way they do.
In a time when people are truly doing what seems right in their own minds--those who fear the Lord will begin to look like nuts.
We will be called to walk boldly in the love and fear we have for the Lord.
Look where that boldness led the disciples.
We love Him because He first loved us. So--can you truly love Him unless you KNOW the depth of His love for you?
Seems to me that knowing a love like that would make a person very bold in a loving way.
Excuse the ramble. Your thoughts sparked with some of the thoughts I have been having.
One more thing.
With Moses God took him through a time where He took what Moses knew in his head about God till it became part of his heart. Then Moses gradually became a bold person. Not perfect--but bold because of WHO he KNEW was backing what he had been told to do.
Knowledge--->Wisdom--->Boldness????
See what you sparked???

Sarah Martin said...

Great post, the Lord is showing me lately(and I have been writing about it on my blog)that his name is KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.

I love the last paragraph where you talk about steping it up. We, as Christians, must step it up because we are set apart! I just blogged on this when I ran across Psalm 4:3 where it says that the Lord has set apart the godly FOR HIMSELF! How cool! Thanks for taking a look at Exodus that I would never have considered...

Lisa N Alexander said...

Gideon comes to mind as someone ill prepared for the task...in the beginning anyway. God called him a mighty man of valor. But if you look at his actions, coward is more the word that comes to mind.

In the end, He was a mighty man of valor which is what God sees in the first place...the end result.

God paid for our redemption, the Holy Spirit gives gifts to men and women and HE is going to get what He paid for. You don't pay for groceries and leave them behind the store. You want what's yours. So God has deposited good stuff in us and He gets it regardless of excuses or perceived inabilities.

If he calls, he equips. We just have to believe that.

Jenny said...

I agree with you that we have lost the fear of the Lord.

Why is that, I wonder?

Great post and something for me to ponder!

Jen

She Rose Up said...

Nicki, this is being true to your calling. Beautiful!

It also reminded me of something VERY important...I will posat on it soon.

God bless!
Maria

mariel said...

GREAT post! I could not agree with you more! My homeschool yahoo group has recently been 'chatting' about certain celebrities' opinions to who 'God' is! Praise the LORD that He is who He is...the great I AM, regardless of ANY man's opinion!!

Thank you for being bold!