ENDURE
Press In To Press On #23
Mark Geppert
He endured. Moses was sent to a people who had lost hope. Their culture had been changed from nomadic shepherds to construction laborers. A generation of male children had been slain. Moses had been spared; but the cries of the mothers of sons unjustly slain had reached the heart of the God who would give His only begotten to bear the reproach of sin.
God responded to the cry.
Moses had been prepared. A murderer, he had sought safety in the land of the Midianites. Seeing the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian being suppressed by the laborers of other owners, he had taken up his staff and driven them off. They brought him home and their father took him in and gave him Zipporah to be his wife.
The root word for Midian is “Strife.” Moses became the son-in-law of the “Priest of Strife.” Zipporah, the girl who became his wife was named “Little Bird.” So, Moses became the husband of the “Little Bird of Strife” and served the family of strife for 40 years.
Moses endured.
Perhaps this is part of the reason we find Moses at the base of the Mountain of God tending flock of sheep. Moses, raised in the court of the king, schooled by the mystics of Egypt, nurtured by a Hebrew mother, a leader by nature was being prepared by God to stand in the power of the anointing to deliver the people of God from the hand of oppression. Their 40 years of suffering was his 40 years of dwelling in the midst of strife. Both the people of promise and the man of promise were being prepared to be delivered.
God set a sign to see if Moses would draw aside to see. God, hearing the heart cry of the people, tested the man He had been preparing to see if he would press in to press on. Moses was ready. He stepped to the burning bush and obeyed the voice that spoke to him. Imagine God speaking a simple thing, “Take of your shoes” to test Moses’ hearing, hunger, and obedience levels. Moses obeyed, and God revealed the plan.
Moses was not initially ready to respond. After 40 years living with strife, he wondered if anyone would listen to him. God gave him a speaker. Moses was a murderer with a death sentence over his life. God wanted him to appear in Egypt, before the man who wanted him dead. God promised to protect Moses by doing might deeds. (Exodus 3:21) Moses knew that the Egyptians hated the Hebrews but God said, “You will not go out empty-handed, but you will plunder Egypt.” (Exodus 3:22)
“By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” (Heb.11:27) Faith gives substance to the promises of God. Faith is the evidence that He who lives in the unseen gives we who live in the seen the power to endure strife, reproach, contradiction, persecution, threats, hatred, abuse and every form of disdain. Moses looked to the reward.
You are equipped to endure, stand fast, be confident in the presence and power of the One who has called you and lives in you. He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Press In to Press On,
Mark
