January 27: Of Divine Mercy and Persistence, and Our Transformation

Exodus 4:1-5:21

Matthew 18:1-20

Psalm 22:19-31

Proverbs 5:15-21

Moses sure wasn't a quick study.  Let's see what's happened so far:

• God appears to him in a talking, burning bush that will not burn up?  Check.
• God turns his staff into a snake, and turns it back into a staff? Check. 
• God turns Moses's hand leprous, then heals it?  Check.

One would think that all that would have established God's bona-fides with Moses.  But when God then goes and tells Moses to delivery His message to Pharaoh, what does Moses say?

In the Philippines, we have a saying: "Pag gusto, maraming paraan.  Pag ayaw, maraming dahilan" which translates to "Those who want, find ways; those who don't, find excuses."  Despite all God had shown Moses, he still didn't want to do what God asked - so he finds an excuse: "I am not eloquent."  And when God insists, and says He's got this, Moses flat out refuses: "Please send someone else."

Thankfully, God is merciful and persistent.  And Moses goes.  But his actions appear to cause more trouble for the Israelites, inconsistent with God's declared intentions.  Can you imagine what was going through Moses's head when the Israelite overseers told him "May the Lord look on you and judge you!  You ave made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his official and have put a sword in their hand to kill us"?

We know how this story ends.  But it seemed worth remembering that, at that point, Moses didn't.  This was a man who so very recently had demonstrated how little He knew, and trusted God.  At this point, it is entirely possible he had the choice to cut and run.  Go back to Jethro and say something like "yeah, family's fine . We're good.  I'm back."  But, to his credit, Moses didn't.  When it seemed God's plans were going to lead to tremendous hardship and difficulty, Moses did something out of character: he persisted in God's will.  

I think every single one of us who has found ourselves afraid and frustrated, who has tried to follow God and failed, can take comfort in the story of a similarly flawed man whose stubbornness finally gave way to obedience in the face of a persistent and merciful God. 

Father, neither give up on us, nor relent in Your plans for us.  Instead, may your persistence and mercy break us out of the cocoon of stubbornness and sinfulness, that we might grow in obedience and submission, to Your will and for Your purposes.