1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
So Much Sand
Its summer time and many of us have longed for the warm golden sand of the area beeches. To lie at the waters edge and listen to the waves and the sound of children playing. Maybe pick up a good book or just soak in the warm rays of the sun.
It often takes a Herculean effort to find the time to relax and then plan the day. Maybe you are running from the job or the bills or other stresses in your life but on the warm sands of the beech you can find a place of solitude.
Our lives are full of effort, toil, frustration and challenge. They are also full of potential, opportunity and discovery. I’d like to take you all to the beech toady but we have a little learning to accomplish first.
Let’s look at how sand can be a place of testing as well as a place of resting. Today I want to look at the life story of Moses and the followers who were freed by God’s hand and led into the desert by God’s prophet.
In your walk with Jesus so far you know about His saving Grace and how your sins have been forgiven. That’s great news and it comes with an eternal promise of heaven as your resting place but what about your next step what follows salvation?
How has your journey been so far? Do you find yourself fully relying on God or are you like the Israelites in the Exodus account?
Do you find yourself waking up each day glad for Gods hand on your life or are you finding the sand just a little hot to tolerate on your feet?
Jesus did not promise us a rose garden of happiness when we became Christians. There will be times of testing, times of exercising our faith and times of trusting that God has our best interests at heart. All along the way we travel together like the Tribes of Israel making our way to the Promised Land.
In our Exodus account we can review the range of emotions and experiences that Israel went through. They should serve as a reminder to us about our long journey as we walk ever closer to the Promised Land we call Heaven.
Things were great at first, right? They were once slaves to the Egyptians; we were once slaves to sin. They escaped with spoils and treasure from Egypt and we were blessed with spiritual gifts.
Romans 6:6 NIV
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, [ Or be rendered powerless] that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
As you walk along life’s sandy beach do you feel the weight of your sin like chains of bondage or are you free of it and thankful for that freedom?
God revealed His law to His chosen people Ten little Laws and still they could not obey them in fact as God was sending His messenger Moses to share this truth the people had already rebelled. They made for themselves a false idol.
Exodus 31:1
1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.
Do you still keep in touch with the God who has freed you, with the God who has saved you or are you like the people in the desert growing weary and anxious tired of waiting to hear from God?
Has your desert experience left you hungry and tired are you growing faint as you continue to travel?
Exodus 16:4
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
I want to remind you that God will give you every good thing you need to make it all the way home.
2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (thing).
God wants you to spend quality time with Him as you make your way that includes church, prayer and fellowship with the believers. Have you been trying to get by on as little contact as possible?
Exodus 33:7
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
Have you managed to get your children to go to church too or have they hardened their hearts? I know this can be a hard thing since they love to play in the sand instead of realizing they too must cross it.
God had the people of the desert carry His law in the Ark of the Covenant. Jesus has placed Gods law into out hearts and we should carry it there.
2 Corinthians 3:3
3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Spending an evening on the sand may require a light. For some of our journey we have seen very dark nights and we were unsure of the outcome. We must let our faith shine like the light of the lamp stand in God’s tabernacle.
Matthew 5:15
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Let your walk with the Lord be radiant so others may see the glow of His love in your life.
In the tent of meeting they used to burn incense as an offering to God.
Our prayer life should be like a bouquet to our God filled with the sweet words of praise and thanksgiving.
Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
There is a final step to our journey for each one of us a place of rest. Do not lose hope but continue in faith trusting God to make of your life a beautiful thing. I know the journey is long and hard but the rest that waits for us is eternal. Please walk with me as together Jesus leads us across the sand of our lives.
