Boxes

“O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.  I am slow of speech and tongue” ~ Exodus 4:10

Has someone ever asked you to do something and you find yourself saying, “No thanks.  I’ve never been any good at that.  It’s just not who I am?”  Well, I was in that situation last night.  During class our professor had us get into groups and work.  After we had all finished we needed to choose one person to represent us by speaking to the class about what we had discussed.  My group chose me because I had written down our ideas.  Although I consented, I sat there the whole time thinking, But I’m not good at speaking.  I’m never going to get the thoughts across as good as I can think about them right now and I’m certainly not going to do it as well as those who have already spoken! Even as I was thinking this I knew I was in the wrong.  I could almost hear God saying, You’re starting to sound an awful lot like Moses.  Remember what I did through him?  

God reminded me how when He called Moses to return to Egypt and go before Pharaoh asking that the Israelites be freed, Moses came up with all kinds of excuses and questions, trying to make God “come to His senses!”  He wants to know who he is that he should go before Pharaoh (Exodus 3:11), who he is supposed to say sent him (Exodus 3:12), and what happens if they don’t believe him (Exodus 4:1).  God reveals several miracles he will be able to perform before Pharaoh and then we come to the excuse to which I relate most.  Moses tells God that he is not a good speaker.  In fact, he tells God he has never been a good speaker, either before God spoke to him or after. If I were in Moses shoes, I could imagine the response being something like God, I don’t think you realize I can’t speak well.  You may have forgotten, but I’m not so good with words.  I wasn’t good with words before You called me and, well, nothing has changed.  Perhaps you should be talking to someone else. 

Before last night, I had always read this passage and found myself wanting to shake Moses and ask if he had been paying attention!  God revealed all He would do through Moses and yet he’s still sitting there questioning Him!  I realized I’ve been in that situation many times and haven’t even realized it.  Have you ever had someone tell you, “Don’t put God in a box?”  Well, I would expand on that and say also:  Don’t put yourself in a box.  Essentially the meaning is the same in that God will be the one enabling you to do all that you do and you shouldn’t doubt what He can do through you, but it’s a little clearer to me in this form.  Basically, don’t tell God you can’t do something.  Don’t automatically assume you are going to fail at what you are doing because you haven’t been good at it before or it’s not something you usually do.  Moses came right out and said he couldn’t speak well, yet God used him to free the entire Israelite nation.  I heard a wonderful quote recently that fits perfectly:  If God brought you to it, He’ll bring you through it.  If God has called you to something that you believe you aren’t able to do, first recognize that, if you allow Him, He’s going to do this through you (you’re not on your own) and, second, know that God formed you and knows what you are capable of even more than you do.

The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth?  Who makes him deaf or mute?  Who gives him sight or makes him blind?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.  ~ Exodus 4:11-12

Now, before you read this and walk away with the misunderstanding that after accepting all God has called you to do everything is going to be simple and happy and all will turn out according to your greatest hopes, I want to draw your attention to some of what Moses faced in Egypt (but please don’t stop here, it gets better!).  After he came to Pharaoh the first time and his request to free his people was denied, even his own people despised him.

And [the Israelites] said, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you!  You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”  ~ Exodus 5:21

This is not what Moses was looking for!  He was sent to free the people.  One could imagine he was expecting the people to at least like him for trying to free them, but even those he was trying to help were cursing him.  At the end of Exodus 5, we can see this was exactly what he was thinking.  He prays, asking God why he was brought there to bring trouble on the people and why, even after speaking to Pharaoh, God did not rescue them.  God replies in chapter six by reminding Moses who He is and what He has promised.  God did not lose sight of the plan or forget the promise He had given the people.  He had a purpose in how He would bring them out of Egypt that they might know He is the Lord their God.

I said this not to discourage you from following what God has called you to do, but to ensure you that despite trials you may face in the process of obedience, God is still in control and will bring you through.  Don’t give up because you feel like it gets too hard.  Moses stuck it out and walked right out of Egypt with the entire Israelite nation (check out the rest of Exodus)!  You may not be able to see the end, but know that God does and He is a good navigator.  He has great plans for you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  ~ Jeremiah 29:11

The Pruning Process

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” ~ John 15:1-2


When trying to help a plant grow it is important to cut off any branches that aren’t producing fruit so that energy can be used to support those branches which are producing. Along the same lines, even those branches that are giving fruit need to be pruned of any dead or dying leaves or offshoots which are not contributing to the growth of the fruit.

Consider this – we are the branches and God is the gardener. Those things in our lives that are not producing fruit will need to be cut off in order to support those areas other areas that are fruitful. These things can be material possessions, a desire to be the best, activities you’re involved with, or a number of many other things. Anything that takes energy and life from those areas of your life that are glorifying God and edifying the body of Christ need to be shed so that you can grow even more fruitful. Ask God to start convicting you about those things that perhaps you need to release from your life. For me it’s movies. I love to watch movies. Movies can be great ways to spark conversation and create connections between people. Unfortunately I had gotten in the habit of ignoring warnings of foul language or violence and would watch the movies anyways, claiming that those things don’t affect me. Honestly, that’s a lie of the Enemy. Those things that you see and hear get caught in your head and are very hard to shake. God began to show me how my watching these movies was in no way glorifying Him or edifying the body of Christ. They need to go. One of my first thoughts was, “But God that’s just too hard! (I’m speaking of this in the midst of the cutting off process so I’m right there with you.) Here’s a biblical example of someone else having this problem of letting go:

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ~ Matthew 19:21-22

The more we have of something or the more time we spend doing something, the more attached we become to it. This young man was very wealthy so it was particularly difficult for him to imagine having to give all that wealth away. I’ve invested so much time and money into these movies that it’s hard for me to pull them off my shelf and get rid of them or imagine not being able to watch certain movies either on my own or with friends. But when we allow God to cut these things from our life, we get to see an amazing growth in other areas that glorify Him more! And we have the immense joy of knowing that this will be a hindrance removed from our relationship from God. I can just picture God seeing us choose to love Him more than those things and He has a huge smile on His face.

While [Jesus] was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ~ Mark 14:3

The last thing I want to say about this is that people around you may not understand. They may look at you choosing to give away some of your material wealth or choosing to abstain from certain activities and think that you’re crazy! They may rebuke you for the choices you have made, but don’t let it discourage you. This woman, in the eyes of the world, wasted a precious commodity that cost over a year’s wages, but Jesus knew her heart. He knew what she was gaining from giving up that little jar. I can almost picture Jesus turning to people in our own lives that will criticize the choices we make to release those things that are keeping us from a stronger relationship with Him and saying, “Leave them alone. Why are you bothering them? They have done a beautiful thing!”

It may be difficult, but if God is asking you to release something to Him, it’s because He’s got better for you.

(Thank you to my friend Lara Reyna Phillippe for allowing me to use her beautiful picture!)