2009 – Day 66.Mar. 8 – Going It Alone

2009 – Day 66.Mar. 8 – Going It Alone

Passage of the Day: Exodus 4: 11 – 17 … Read passage from this link …

My Journal for Today: Today, I must separate myself from the teachings of Chuck Swindoll in his devotional entry for this date. But to be fair, let me represent what Swindoll is teaching here today. … He contends that, and I quote, “While I believe with all my heart in accountability, God’s call does not lend itself to the buddy system or to group excursions.” And Chuck is citing Moses in today’s passage, bailing out to get assistance from his brother, Aaron, feeling that he could not go it alone in this task as God’s leader for His people. We know, of course, (see Exod. 32) that Aaron ultimately failed Moses and God; and certainly God knew that when he allowed Aaron to be Moses’ mouthpiece before Pharaoh. And Swindoll is contending that sometimes we simply must “go it alone,” when we’re called out by God.

But I simply cannot buy into this position. Yes, my calling is MY CALLING, not someone else’s. And what God calls me to do for His glory will not be the same as someone else; but I also believe, and know from God’s word and experience, that Christ is in the business of using His Body, working together, for each of us to be maximized in our individual gifts and calling.

I’m very much against anything that smacks of “Lone Ranger” Christianity; and I’m afraid that Swindoll seems to be heading his readers today toward that leaning. I firmly believe that God uses us individually best when we stand together and work together with other believers. If that were not the case in this scenario, why would God not have insisted that Moses go it alone? If “going it alone” was the way to go in life, why would Jesus, when training his disciples, send them out two-by-two on field trips of training in discipleship; and why, when He charged His followers with the Great Commission did He allow for them to begin their ministry right there in Jerusalem working together in a Body?

If God wants us to go it alone in ministry and mission work, why does God’s word strongly teach that a three fold cord is stronger than a single strand (see Eccl. 4: 11-12) and that iron sharpens iron (see Prov.27: 17)?

No, I’m sorry Chuck, … I just don’t seem to be buying your contention that Moses should have gone it alone and not relied on someone, like Aaron, to carry out God’s will in freeing His people. Yes, I agree that one’s individual calling is not someone else’s calling; but I think it’s very important for God’s army to be fighting the battles of life, back-to-back with a band of brothers, … a unified and cohesive force, working TOGETHER for God’s glory.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I am responsible for your calling on my life; but I thank You for the grace of sending others into my life to bring Your calling to fruition. Amen

2009 - Day 53.Feb.23 - Sit Down

2009 – Day 53.Feb.23 – Sit Down!

NOTE: I've not been posting my devotionals during the weeks I was on our pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Be assured that I was blessed by continuing to do them daily. My challenge in posting was inconsistent internet access while traveling. So, I decided to wait and interrupt my posting here while on this pilgrimage. If anyone wants the "missing blogs" here, you can email me @ billb13@bellsouth.net and I will be happy to send you these journal entries not posted here. But let me get today's return entry posted to begin my daily entries int his place again >>>

Passage of the Day: Exodus 2: 11 – 15 … 11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
14 Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

My Journal for Today: Swindoll makes a great point, inspired by today’s repeated text.

Have you ever been, or are you now, driven to where fear or desperation has taken you to a dry, barren place in your life; and maybe, like Moses, you’ve been, or are, forced to sit down, maybe even in agony and frustration, and ponder where you are and what brought you to this place? I sure remember a time in April of 1983 when I had been running from myself and seeking spiritual strength, but finding nothing in my own efforts or in empty religious teachings. I was dry and in desperate need of a long, cool drink of living water.

And that’s where Moses was in this passage. But he finally sat down, not even recognizing that God had led him to a well where he could drink and be refreshed and renewed. That’s where I was on April 13, 1983, when I finally surrendered to receive God’s graceful drink of living water; and from that moment of acknowledgment of my dry sinfulness and my willingness to take the living water of life available in my meager moment of faith, I was shown the step-by-step path to restoration and renewal … to the living waters of life.

That’s what happened to Moses; and it took a full 40 more years of stopping, sitting, and living in the dry lands where God had led Moses for this humbled man to recognize that searching for and receiving God’s living waters was the only way to live in faith for His God. And that’s where we need to come to realize that running, hiding, and seeking only leads to a place where we must sit down, reflect, and be willing to take a drink from God’s well of life.

I pray that you’ve discovered this life-renewing truth for yourself. So, if you’re feeling pretty dry and desperate now. STOP! SIT DOWN! LOOK UP! And take a long, renewing drink from God’s free offering of His living waters.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I thank You for giving me Your living waters daily. Amen