Lay it Down

Walking along the dusty, desert road, a man named Moses is caught off guard. He sees a bush and it's inflamed, but not burning. Ablaze and lit up, the bush flickers off flecks of fire but the bush, leaves, and stems are not consumed. Slowly, cautiously, Moses approaches the burning bush. So many times I find myself walking in a desert wanting desperately to hear from God. Amidst of dry and arid landscape, there are times I find myself asking, What am I supposed to do with my life? I may not be Moses or have a big stick, but if we take a look at his life we can learn from his desert season and what God requested of him, things that God requests of you. 

We are told in Exodus 3 that God spoke to Moses through a burning bush. As He spoke to Moses, He asked him to do something specific. Moses carried a rod in his hand and God asked him to lay it down. No big deal, right? Just lay the stick down. Done. We can read that portion and not see anything big about that. But through the flames of fire, God asked Moses to lay down a part of who he was. For Moses, the rod represented his identity, income, and influence. Sometimes God has to move in insane ways when He asks us to do insane things. The purpose God has given you is for you.

Everything you need to be beautiful, successful, incredible, blessed, trusted, respected, honored, and happy are already in your life. It may not seem like it, but only because you are focusing on the wrong things. Anything birthed prematurely risks complications. Still, God was kind enough to teach you a lesson like Moses from your journey that made you better for His use.

I feel like I have prayed this prayer before. Like I have been here. Exposed, open, begging the Lord to see me, to use me. Asking questions like “Is it still possible for me?”  Jesus showed me I was the one though. Every nail he took erased my past and now it’s over. I am a new creation. He loved me enough to complete me and heal me, I am free. So why can’t I see what He sees? Not perfect, but that he perfected me. 

Are you like me? Are you just kind of skating along in this identity thing? Like some days you are like “I am good, and I am a dope individual” and then others you are like “Am I good enough?" I know that feeling. If you are like me you probably have a control thing too, where you want to take your life in your hands. You take the negative and completely go into overdrive. When God asks us to pick up our cross and follow him, we may become reluctant, and want to run our own lives. Moses was just like that. But God interrupted his comfortable life and just like God wants to interrupt ours.

Sarah Jakes recently said in a devotional of hers:

"Don’t take life into your own hands. Control the part of you that believes you know better than Him. Trust that if you don’t have something it’s because you aren’t ready for it. Believe that if it’s on your plate, you can handle it. Stop doubting your strength and testing grace. Don’t do what feels right; do what makes you a better person. That may require you to have a new level of discipline or deeper level of vulnerability. There will be countless things that allow you an escape from your insecurities. Don’t use them. Instead, see your insecurities for what they are: places where love can fill in the gap. Love yourself enough that the insecurities have to become"

Be patient. Once you reach the destination you have in your mind, you will see that there is still work to be done. Then you will wish that time would slow down long enough for you to enjoy the view. Find something beautiful about life every day. See the beauty in having another day, another chance. Choose to no longer worship the way things should have been. Praise God for knowing you weren’t ready. Be strong enough to choose you, and to trust God to use you.

God,

Thank you for showing me that what you have for me is for me. Thank you for showing me that there is a sweet surrender in laying it all down to trust you in every season. God may your love show me that there is more than settling for what fear shows me. God for you I lay it all down.

Signed,

God use Me