In spite of

When things have not gone as I have wished during this transition period, I often find myself wondering if I have done something that has short-circuited God's plan. You know, maybe I acted on what I thought was God's voice, but it was really my own, and by doing so I spoiled all the plans God had for me (and quite probably the entire known world for generations to come).

That was the general direction I was heading in my prayers this morning when God, as he often does, led me to a Bible story. It was the story of Moses.

If you remember, Moses was born at an inconvenient time for Hebrew babies of the male gender. Pharaoh had decreed that they all should be killed. Moses' mother hid him for three months, but realized that she couldn't forever hide the fact that he was a boy. If they had been people of means, they might have paid somebody to spirit Moses out of Egypt. Then he could have at least lived out his life as a shepherd in some nearby desert. But Moses' folks are slaves and have no money, so Mom puts him in a waterproof basket and hides him in the reeds of the Nile River. And, miraculously, he is discovered and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter. Moses grows up in Pharaoh's own household. God had so much more planned than Moses' parents could ever have envisioned.

God orchestrates these improbable events so Moses could be in the perfect spot to deliver the Hebrew people out of slavery. But then, what happens next? Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and in a moment of passionate fury kills him. Pharaoh gets wind of it and tries to kill Moses. So, Moses flees Egypt and becomes a shepherd in the nearby desert. He's right back where he was before God's miracle. In one foolish moment, Moses had completely spoiled God's plan.

And that's why the Hebrew people are still slaves in Egypt today.

Oh, now that you mention it, you're right, they're not. And that's the point. God never gave up on his plan. And, just as important, God didn't give up on Moses. Sure, he had to drag him in front of a burning bush to get his attention, but ultimately God accomplished his purpose. He brought Moses back to Egypt, and brought Israel out.

Maybe it was a lot tougher than it had to be. Maybe God wouldn't have had to use the plagues, or at least as many of them, if Moses had been on the right page from the beginning. Maybe the book of Exodus would have been a few chapters shorter. But at worst, Moses only complicated God's plan, he didn't ruin it. Despite Moses' best (worst?) efforts, God pulled it off. And he did it with Moses. God delivered Israel through Moses--and in spite of Moses.

That gives me hope.

If through ignorance, fear, or downright disobedience, I find myself at crossed purposes with God, he won't give up on me. If I'm willing to stand barefoot in front of the burning bush and get on the same page with him, he has the ability to bring about his plan.

With me and in spite of me.

Satisfied

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I went to Indiana for a wedding and there was no internet available at the house where we were staying. The fireflies were incredible, though. And now I am house-sitting for a friend, and you guessed it, no internet. I'm having to spend more time at coffee houses with free Wi-fi.

when we were in Indiana we had an delightful experience. The wedding was in Middlebury, and the area around there is Amish country. My sister (mother of the groom) arranged for a few of us to take a ride in an Amish buggy. The couple who were to be our hosts are friends of the mother of the bride.

Mose and Etta are humble gracious people who greeted us and welcomed us into their home as if we were old friends of the family. We sat around their kitchen table drinking coffee and talking. Incidentally, the coffee was brewed in a Mr. Coffee machine made to operate on a propane stove rather than by electricity. All the lights in the house were propane fixtures that looked like turbo-charged Coleman lanterns.

When we first sat down, Mose (short for Moses) wanted to relieve any apprehension we might have about discussing their lifestyle, so he said, "now don't be afraid to ask us anything. We'll be glad to answer. You won't offend us."

So, I did. And true to their word, they were open and informative about their life and beliefs. Above all, they were gracious.

I have read quite extensively about the Amish. Most things I have read were pretty accurate about how they lived, but they tended to describe an aloof, legalistic people who are bound by restrictive rules and an overbearing church. I don't know about the Amish in general, but that was far from the case with Mose and Etta. They were warm hosts who laughed easily and made us feel at ease. They describe a simple life that they loved--a life they felt called to. They spoke of a faith that was based on a relationship with Christ not earned by living according to a code.

Most of all, what I sensed from Mose and Etta was two people who were content, satisfied and secure in the life they had chosen. Up until a few weeks before, Mose had work for an RV manufacturer as many of the Amish men in the area do. The present gas prices have crippled the industry. When it appeared layoffs were inevitable, Mose went to his supervisor and said, "before you lay off anyone with a family, lay me off first. We have no bills, we have a good garden. God will care for us and we'll be fine."

I had to ask myself what I would have done. Mose and Etta live simply from day to day. They have no expectations of material goods or a certain standard of living. What God brings them they accept with gratitude. By the time we left I almost wanted to be Amish. Not because it is some kind of romantic lifestyle, but because I envied Mose and Etta's contentment. For all the goods and comforts we have, I have Never met anyone in my culture as content as they were. Their faith and lifestyle was attractive because they didn't just talk about trusting God and being content, they lived it and it seeped out of their very pores.

I wonder how I would affect the people around me if I was like that.