Moses

Moses had an amazing encounter with God where God tells Moses that he is the man who will bring the Israelites out of Egypt. It doesn't take Moses very long to come up with several excuses why he should not be the one to lead the people out of Egypt.

 

Have we ever looked at this exchange and believed that we would have responded differently? In the past few months, I have had my own questions for God about why He allows me to oversee the ministry at New Hope Community Closet and so I have been relating to Moses.

 

There are over 50 volunteers who process donations, run the register and allow the store to run with a low overhead. God allows me to interact with these wonderful volunteers week in and week out. But, I am an introvert. God knows this. There are many days when I would love to sit at a desk by myself, check my emails and learn how to market a thrift store better.

I rarely have time to sit at the desk to check emails, and it is rarely quiet. But I am able to speak truth into volunteers' lives each day.

 

With over 50 volunteers, the same task may be completed in many different ways. I love order and consistency. How do I accept it when there are inconsistencies? And again, I need to remember that I have many opportunities each day to show God's love, instead of showing  my impatience.

 

I answer many questions each day ranging from what hours we are open, what donations we accept, or how much should we price a particular item. All of these questions are important to answer and it is part of my job. I love answering questions of strategy, and some of the questions I hear each day are strategic questions.

But many of the questions I answer are questions of information. And, I question God about where He has allowed me to be.

 

When it comes down to it, my life is not about my strengths being used, or me helping to make "important" decisions. What my life should be about is to love others well. God has taken an introvert who would often rather be away from people, and put me in the midst of people every day. If I love people well, it is because at the beginning of my day I spend time with God. I read his Word to me. I talk to Him about the day ahead. And, I try to listen to His voice reminding me of what is really important in life.

 

What it really comes down to is do I trust God? Do I really believe that He knows what He is doing? Am I wiling to submit to Him? Will I let my life be about showing God's love to those in my life?

 

And so, I am thankful for the example of Moses. He was not afraid to ask God questions. But, he had to listen for God's answers. Moses did do what God asked. God led Moses and the Israelites through their long journey. He will lead me through my journey also.

Deb Riddell
Closet Manager