Perspective - a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
God showed me something this morning that, going forward, I really need to KNOW and have the ability to SEE in the coming weeks and months. I'm so very grateful that he leads in his sovereignty and thankful beyond words that I actually heard him in the midst of a LOT of noise.
I was reading about Moses in the wilderness with 2.5 million people. They had long lost their gratefulness from being delivered from slavery. They were tired, hungry and thirsty. I can relate. When I'm uncomfortable, I complain. Even when, just like the Israelites, I've seen God do miraculous things. In studying Exodus this past year I've always marveled at Moses' patience. When the people complained Moses could have gotten right in with them. I'm sure, he too, was hungry and thirsty. Instead, time and time again he took their groaning to the Lord and God provided. There is so much to learn from Moses about what it looks like to be a leader in the kingdom. But even Moses, as we see in Numbers 20:10-11, cannot sustain perfection.
"So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank."
"Listen you rebels".....I could, in my humanness, defend Moses......the people were suffering.... Moses, I'm guessing, was pretty exhausted, tired and overwhelmed...it is the proverbial perfect storm. Can I remain faithful and obedient when under extreme pressure? Can I, when faced with gut-wrenching, life changing decisions, keep my emotions and feelings at bay? To this point Moses had maintained the proper perspective, the proper attitude. He did not allow the people to divert his attention from the true leader, his sovereign God. He didn't allow the people's skewed perspectives to shake his trust that God would provide.
And that brings me to my circumstances with my mom. From the age of about five to this day she's had a crappy life. So when she said, "I never thought my life would end like this" I thought, with great compassion, I get it. But I didn't say it! Thank you Jesus! I said, "But mom, your life is not over! Psalm 139 says all your days were written before one of them came to be. Your book has not been closed. You're still here. You still have purpose! God's not done!" She stared into space....so sad....I thanked God later for that opportunity. I thought then, I had nothing else to offer her and certainly nothing that could give her hope like Jesus.
If I get drawn into her perspective, her despair, her self-pity (please hear me, I understand why she feels as she does and I have great compassion) I will have taken my eyes off the very thing, the One, she needs to know. Her hope, her ever present help in trouble. I have to be very careful of my ultimate mission....the salvation of her soul. The guarantee of eternal life. The promise that this world isn't all there is AND that I WILL see her again.
Moses lost his temper, got fed up with their grumbling and complaining and that led to disobedience. He was not allowed to enter the promised land. Absolutely heartbreaking after all he had been called to do and the miraculous things the Lord worked through him. I cannot have my perspective tainted by emotions and out of control feelings and my mom's grumbling and complaining about life's unfairness....because, honestly, she's my mom and I hate that she's suffering...and I could go there very easily.
I'm so thankful that I'm never alone. God has sent people to counsel me, to love me, to walk with me and ultimately, his Son, my Jesus who promises to never leave me nor forsake me. I have all that I need. I pray that God gets all the glory.
God showed me something this morning that, going forward, I really need to KNOW and have the ability to SEE in the coming weeks and months. I'm so very grateful that he leads in his sovereignty and thankful beyond words that I actually heard him in the midst of a LOT of noise.
I was reading about Moses in the wilderness with 2.5 million people. They had long lost their gratefulness from being delivered from slavery. They were tired, hungry and thirsty. I can relate. When I'm uncomfortable, I complain. Even when, just like the Israelites, I've seen God do miraculous things. In studying Exodus this past year I've always marveled at Moses' patience. When the people complained Moses could have gotten right in with them. I'm sure, he too, was hungry and thirsty. Instead, time and time again he took their groaning to the Lord and God provided. There is so much to learn from Moses about what it looks like to be a leader in the kingdom. But even Moses, as we see in Numbers 20:10-11, cannot sustain perfection.
"So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank."
"Listen you rebels".....I could, in my humanness, defend Moses......the people were suffering.... Moses, I'm guessing, was pretty exhausted, tired and overwhelmed...it is the proverbial perfect storm. Can I remain faithful and obedient when under extreme pressure? Can I, when faced with gut-wrenching, life changing decisions, keep my emotions and feelings at bay? To this point Moses had maintained the proper perspective, the proper attitude. He did not allow the people to divert his attention from the true leader, his sovereign God. He didn't allow the people's skewed perspectives to shake his trust that God would provide.
And that brings me to my circumstances with my mom. From the age of about five to this day she's had a crappy life. So when she said, "I never thought my life would end like this" I thought, with great compassion, I get it. But I didn't say it! Thank you Jesus! I said, "But mom, your life is not over! Psalm 139 says all your days were written before one of them came to be. Your book has not been closed. You're still here. You still have purpose! God's not done!" She stared into space....so sad....I thanked God later for that opportunity. I thought then, I had nothing else to offer her and certainly nothing that could give her hope like Jesus.
If I get drawn into her perspective, her despair, her self-pity (please hear me, I understand why she feels as she does and I have great compassion) I will have taken my eyes off the very thing, the One, she needs to know. Her hope, her ever present help in trouble. I have to be very careful of my ultimate mission....the salvation of her soul. The guarantee of eternal life. The promise that this world isn't all there is AND that I WILL see her again.
Moses lost his temper, got fed up with their grumbling and complaining and that led to disobedience. He was not allowed to enter the promised land. Absolutely heartbreaking after all he had been called to do and the miraculous things the Lord worked through him. I cannot have my perspective tainted by emotions and out of control feelings and my mom's grumbling and complaining about life's unfairness....because, honestly, she's my mom and I hate that she's suffering...and I could go there very easily.
I'm so thankful that I'm never alone. God has sent people to counsel me, to love me, to walk with me and ultimately, his Son, my Jesus who promises to never leave me nor forsake me. I have all that I need. I pray that God gets all the glory.
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