"... when Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed..."

When the Amalekites attacked Israel in Rephidim Moses went to the top of the hill and gazed down at the skirmish from on high. He had two men, Aaron and Hur, supporting his hands to the left and the right. Moses knew his mission. He had to keep his hands lifted in order to ensure victory from below. But a time came when he needed the support of his brothers to either side. (Full story at Exodus 17:8-15.)

I'm sure there were times when his mind drifted, when he could do no more, and he completely resigned himself to the strong arms of those around him.

Aside from the exhortation to have a couple of covenant buddies to help us in our missions, this passage also provides a foreshadowing of Christ on the Cross. Like Moses, Christ was lifted above a valley and his persistence in following through had everything to do with our victory over sin. There may have been times when he, too, looked into the bleak souls of the criminals, crucified on either side, and - seeing their utter helplessness in the face of such an enemy - was encouraged in Love to stay the Course of his Mission. Sometimes one look into the eyes of one completely ravaged by sin raises within us the almighty compassion of the Creator.

Pastoral Fire

Even in the most magnificent events God can be relied upon to care for us in the most minute detail.

The Israelites had been plummeted with one crises after another. First it was Moses' appearance as their redeemer, the signs and plagues he and Aaron performed before the hardened heart of Pharaoh. Then it was the chaos of finding first born lambs, slaughtering them, splashing their blood on the doorposts, and the horror of the wailing of all uncovered families mourning the deaths of their beloved. They were told to make haste, to leave their homes, and - before they could process it all - they had been miraculously rescued from hundreds of years of bondage, just like that.

Then the Bible records, "God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although it was near... they may change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt" Exodus 13:17.

God knows our humanity better than his humans. For their sake he chose to take them the "long way out" in order to calm their hearts, minds, and souls. His sheep had been traumatized and, as the Great Shepherd, he understood that. In addition, he knew the possible threat of war would push them completely over the edge, casting doubt on their very redemption. With this in mind he diverted them into peace. It was the longest and most loving way into the Land of Promise.

Sometimes we may feel caged and rattled, sometimes we may want to "get there" on the fast route and wonder why God just doesn't take us in a bee-line into the place we all know we're going to end up anyway. But he knows the manner of our beast. He directs steadily and strategically, each day being orchestrated for us to arrive wholly healed and ready to rock in the sweet spot of his perfect timing.

Jesus Bobbers

The other night I was in a very formal worship service. There was incense, bells, organs, guitars, chanting, formal prayers, genuflecting, and even spontaneous prayers from people all around me. It was quite an experience. 

The older couple next to me, however, were quite distracting indeed. Every time the Lord’s Name was mentioned, they bobbed downward in a robotic fashion and then up again - not unlike those little plastic yellow birds that bob back and forth in the back of late model Buicks. I tried to block them out but the Name of Jesus is said a LOT in the service and soon I resigned myself to the dismal fact: I was predestined to be humiliated by the Jesus Bobbers next to me.

Then came the verse in my heart:  “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:10, Italics Mine) With that as my new plumb-line their bobbing became completely normal, even justified. In fact, by the end of the service we had the whole pew bobbing back and forth. We were all just practicing for that great and glorious Day!

Guess it’s not too early to start now.

Reaching into the Soup

It's an interesting phenomenon.

God calls us from our life of darkness and brings us into his marvelous light. He heals us, empowers us, sets our feet on the paths of sanctification, and then sends us right back into the same places we were redeemed from - this time as people no longer swayed by those who sought to kill or destroy us but as mini-shepherds, gently leading those he has called from their darkness.

Some need to stay out of Egypt. For them, the powers of the gods yield too much power. Most of us are called to get back in the soup, so to speak. Not to continue in the death march of debauchery. But to walk along side with those parading to hell, offering love and another Parade route to those who know no better.

"Go, return to Egypt," the Lord told Moses. "For all the men who sought your life are dead." (Exodus 4:19, Septuagint)

Of course wisdom needs to be used in all aspects of life. Yet if we allow ourselves to be ruled by the same powers that ruled us before our conversion we are no better than idolators, compromising both the Scriptures and the power of God.

Go! Who knows their culture more than you do? Who knows the desperateness of their hearts more than you? You have been there and can speak life into the place - just as someone else spoke life to you when you were in that place. Go! Return in the power of the resurrection. Love them. Listen to them. Be about worshipping your God around them.

To be sure, you will be offended. You will hear words you long forgot. You will see behavior you've only heard about in popular movies. All the same, God in you is big enough for it. He sees this stuff everyday. 

Instruments of the Ordinary

What is your ordinary tool of trade - that which you use either in your career, hobby, or interest? Is is a calculator? A guitar? A fishing rod? For Moses it was a staff. He was a shepherd. 

When God called Moses he did not give him a new instrument of calling. He did not say to Moses, "For the past forty years you have had this staff and it is worthless to me. I want to give you a calculator, through which you will lead Israel out of bondage." The trajectory of Moses' life was matched with God's Call on his life. It was a shoe-in. The shepherd's staff - a part of Moses' daily ordinary life - became the agent through which God's incarnational Presence became real. Our calculators, guitars, or fishing rods have the ability to do great things for the Lord, as live into his Call for our us. 

This November we will trace the footsteps of Moses and cover about 40 years of his life in the span of a few days. We will squint our eyes at the same sun he squinted at, we will taste and grit our teeth around the same desert sand the same desert sand he tasted, we will gaze at the same stars he gazed at, we will tabernacle in the same places he tabernacled at, and we will climb the same mountain he climbed - the very place where the instrument of his ordinary became the lightening rod of God's will.

Come, participate, and bless us with your presence!

Guilt-Free Lines in the Sand

Much of our time is spent making peace. We want everyone to be happy. We don't want to rock the boat. After all, we say, Jesus was a peacemaker. Yet those who wish to lead a Godly life will rock the boat, they will infuriate others, and they will disappoint those closest to them.

Jesus drew lines in the sand - howbeit he did it for the sake of a greater cause, the Pearl of Great Price, obedience to his call and the Father's purposes on his life. He could have healed more, preached more, taught more; he could have stayed in villages for weeks at a time - for you know, he always left unmet needs behind him as he followed the Will for his life. He did this because of his love for them.

Demons and the will of men were the two agents that most often stood in the way of his ministry. He confronted our enemy often - commanding them not to speak for "they knew who he was" and thus would interfere with his Father's Plan. He rebuked the enemy in those he loved best. To Peter he once said, "Get behind me satan." When his disciples met him after a night of prayer and scolded him for ignoring the crowds... his reply? Let's go to another town. There's work to do there.

Ultimately his entire life was a decisive response to a higher Call - a Call wherein he was okay with disappointing others, refusing to let satan get in the way, and not always pleasing others. For the sake of Love he was empowered to draw guilt-free lines in the sand.

These were not random lines. They were lines defining the parameter of the ministry of God in his life. He loved greatly. He guarded what was entrusted to him with an often misunderstood passion. But they got it in the end. The fruit of his obedience saved their very souls.

O God, forgive me for succumbing to the temptations of compromise and people pleasing. Heal that within me which seeks affirmation from anything, or anyone, but you. And then move me on in love, without guilt, knowing that the eternal fruit of obedience is far sweeter than anything which compromises your plan for me. In Christ's Name. Amen.

The Robbers

When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them,“The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” Mark 11:15-17


The soul is a sanctuary, created in the image of God. It is sacred, holy, a precious  place where sandals are removed and candles are lit. It is a miniature place of meeting, a very embassy of heaven itself.


God's love is extravagant for us. Of all the places in the universe he has chosen our soul as the meeting ground for Communion. Adam and Eve had their Garden. Abraham had his Canopy. Moses had his Mountain. John had his Jordan. John the Apostle had his Island. This is yours; your soul. Each day he waits for you to awake so he can walk with you in the cool of your Garden and commune with you, with ease, grace, and keen interest. Souls are the places of his intervention. They are where he is.


For whatever reason, it happens. Robbers force there way onto this holy ground. Perhaps they come in the guise of aides - assistants in our communion with God. They may be books, trends; they may be formulas, 10 Steps to Getting Closer to God. However it happens, our souls become cluttered with these things. Sometimes it is so difficult navigating through the forest of these things that, by the time we arrive at the honest, pure, and simple time with God we are exhausted, and in dire need of resurrection.


We may not see it as such but these are robbers. They rob us of our energy. They rob us of our time. They - though many times good - create barriers, promote procrastination, and sidetrack us from the thing we had all along, hearts to recognize and meet him in the cool of the Day. If not for Jesus clearing our temples of these robbers - they have the hellish potential to "fall us short"  of the Original Communion.


O Grave Robber
You have robbed me from my hell
And yet I am robbed of your beauty
I have need to be robbed once again


Clear the issues of my heart
With the passion of your jelous Flame
Until nothing remains
Ecxept the tender soil under my feet 
Unhindered by vines and obstacles that creep along the Way
And be with me 
Again
In the cool of the afternoon of the Garden