When you think about the topic of "Time Out", you can find examples of how it happened with those God used mightily in the Bible. In the book of Exodus 2: –4:, Moses went through a miraculous deliverance in the Nile river, and then there were the forty years in which he grew up in Pharaoh’s palace. Also, the next forty years spoke of his experience with the burning bush on. However, we often forget that there’s a slice of time there – another forty years – where Moses was on the backside of the desert, in obscurity, and often termed by many in a time of ‘Time Out’.
And when life may have us this similar place, we too may find ourselves in a place of obscurity. We may feel alone, or that we are behind the scenes, and may not be acknowledged for all that we do. Or opposition may be facing us, where we have to fight to not wallow in our situations or failures. For even when a player of a team sport is taken out of the game for a wrong play. It is not necessarily final. It is a time to regroup and get prepared for a time to get up again.
However, God has a greater purpose for His time outs for us. God uses ‘Time Outs’ to teach us, I believe, several lessons:
(1) How to serve. When Moses was used to help serve the priest of Midian’s daughter’s by serving them water, and then he goes on to serve by looking after his sheep incidentally amongst the Egyptians to be the lowest form of occupation (sheepherders often known to be despised by the Egyptians.
(2) God uses ‘Time Outs’ to teach us how to trust. One of the reasons that we can let go of bitterness from bad experiences is that we don’t have to harbor or remember these experiences because God remembers for us. They are just as fresh in God’s memory as if they just happened. God not only sees. But He also regards, as He remembered the children of Israel in the Wilderness.
And finally (3), God teaches us how to obey. God came to Moses in a burning bush and says, "Moses, I want you to go and deliver my people." And what did Moses say? Did he say, "I’m called. Let’s go." No. The Moses who had run ahead of God, now had to be dragged out of that corner or place of ‘Time Out’, being that his spirit was broken and he was crushed. And when the Lord says, "Let’s go." Moses responds, but "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? Who am I?"
The forty years had done its work. You see 40 years ago, Moses thought that he could pull off the exodus in his power. However 40 years later, Moses cleaved to the fact that except it be God’s power, the children of Israel would not be delivered. As Moses relied and depended on God, God provided Moses what was needed in Moses' hands. If there is ever a place in this New Year that it is safe to be is in a Time Out to realize even the more, God's unchanging power over our lives. In Him we LIVE, we MOVE, and we have our everyday BEING whether small moments or miraculous life-changing moments.
Where are you in your walk on today? What is in your hands as you look to God in 2013? Maybe you have some love you can give to someone. Do you have the ability to smile or do you bless others when you pray? Find out first in prayer and seeking Him. Let God be your source and resource for all that you say and do on today. God bless you!
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