MOLD ME AND MAKE ME AFTER THY WILL
. . . BY HELPING ME FACE MY FEARS
My Brother-in-law, who lived in Africa for ten years, tells about his wild life experiences – some of which, while on a safari, he hunted but others he kept at a distance. A favorite was the African Impala which was admired for its beauty, gracefulness, ability to jump over ten feet high and cover greater than thirty feet. Yet this amazing creature can be kept in a zoo behind a wall of only three feet height because it will not jump if it cannot see where its feet will land!
Unlike the African Impala, folks, Christians live by faith not by sight -fully persuaded that God will do what He promised to do. At our age and stage in life, we may feel “walled in” – and in a certain sense, we are – but there again it’s by faith and not by sight that we continue onward.
Winston Churchill is given the credit for making a brilliant statement on this subject: “Success is never final; failure is never fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts!” The British Prime Minister needed a cigar to help him get through the day, but at the end of the day, he had the right attitude about facing fears.
God did not reveal to Moses at the age of 80 every detail of his future. God promised Moses that He would be with Him. Before believing God’s promise, however, and then obeying God’s Will, Moses had to have help facing his fears. His help came from the LORD – Exodus 3:11-12 and 4:10-17 . . .
What was it, at first, that Moses focused on, rather than focus on Who it was that got his attention – via a burning bush no less – and was now telling him what to do? Excuses, excuses, excuses!
“I am nobody.” “It doesn’t matter who YOU are, I the LORD will be with you.” “I am not smart enough.” “I AM WHO I Am” – the same God who helped your ancestors. “I am not good enough.” “The LORD your God is all-powerful - attested by three miraculous signs and wonders.” “I am not qualified.” “Who gave man his mouth with which to speak?” “I am not the best choice.” “You will have the help you need - people with whom I surround you – starting with Aaron.”
Folks, please get the message Moses missed, and apply it to your situations. “I AM” is all that you need in every circumstance of life. Why argue otherwise? Theologian Warren Wiersbe put it this way: It’s foolish for us to argue, “I am not” when God said, “I AM.” The message to Moses, and us: The LORD God IS . . .
When He Who IS calls . . . sends . . . directs our paths, He promises His presence. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” To pray to God for guidance, to ask Him for help in making wise decisions, then to receive an answer in the affirmative, is to be certain of His presence – whether the answer was to our liking! God promised it; that settles it; I believe He is and will go with me . . .
Some folks ask God for a “sign” so they know for sure that “this or that” is what He would have them do. Notice how God reversed that process with Moses:
“When (after) you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will then receive confirmation - upon the mountain.” Was Moses in for a surprise by the LORD God! Don’t you know? Our God IS an awesome God, full of surprises!
By faith, Moses was expected (not directed) to go forward . . . By faith, we move toward our rendezvous with the Father who “waits o’er the way” and, upon arrival Home, after we have by faith moved on, we shall receive confirmation of His Promise. God said “when” not “if”; God said, “you will” not “you might”.
The Good News is, Moses overcame His fear of failure by finally trusting in God. Please, at long last, trust in God – unreservedly. It’s the only way I know to overcome fear! As you wrestle with overcoming your fears, remember:
Everyone fails . . . stumbles . . . falls . . . strikes out . . . Babe Ruth, asked why he struck out so many more times than he hit home runs, replied: “I just keep on swingin’”! Folks, keep on swingin’!
Failure is not final. Not only did Winston Churchill pass that lesson on to us, so did Abraham Lincoln who suffered loss in practically every aspect of his life, but finally he was elected president of our country. Let me share a classic entitled “The Man in the Arena”, from a speech in 1910 by Teddy Roosevelt . . . (attached)
Latch onto the benefits of failure. In and through all things God is at work to help His people get through all the adversities of life, rise above failures of the past, and cling to promises of a future bright with God’s never-ending presence.
Let your renewed faith in God dispel the dismal aspects of your past with a revived sense of trusting in the LORD your God – every day in every way. Do this . . . if you want real Joy. A fellow minister put it this way: Never let past failures or future fears rob you of present joy!
One way to experience real joy in the present is to acknowledge limitations that prevent you from doing what you used to do or what someone else can do, while accepting the fact that you are still a very important person who has a role.
God uniquely created each of us for a specific role, not a play-acting role but a viable role, even in our old age. Moses was 80 at the time he received his assignment. At 83, I do not want, nor expect God to call me to do anything of the magnitude of Moses assignment. But my attitude must be: “I might be called on! Be willing!” God doesn’t see task size; He sees a willing heart.
The whole point of this lesson is to understand that God works through us despite our shortcomings. He knows everything about us: our past, our failures, our strengths, our limitations. He still chooses to use us for His purpose!
Early in my ministry, I had to face my fear of standing up and speaking in front of a crowd – the bigger the congregation, the greater my fear. On one of those “frightful” occasions, it was not my knees knocking that scared me; it was when they missed. I had to have a glass of water nearby to wet my dry mouth. Stage fright? I guess. Satanic scare tactic? I guess. Anxiety disorder? I guess.
How did I overcome it? Well, I didn’t. I learned to manage my fear by confronting it and doing what I was assigned to do despite it. There was, however, a turning point. Aboard an airliner on one of my trips, I looked out the window and saw that there was nothing but a sea of embellished clouds beneath us, and it gave me the feeling that God was not going to let us fall. My thought was:
If I can feel reassured by a sea of clouds that I can see, although I know they are porous, why should I be afraid of a sea of faces with all eyes fixed on me when God has sent me and given me a message to deliver!?
Never again did my knees knock, nor did my voice quiver, or my mouth go dry on me! Let me share with you my shortened version of “It Took a Miracle”:
“My Father is omnipotent, and that you can’t deny;
“A God of might and miracles – ‘tis written in the sky.
“And every little bird and flower are testimonies too;
“As is that preacher lad who once fled if someone said boo.”
Moses performed miracles FOR God. You ARE a miracle - wrought BY God.
You have risen above a failure here and there . . . an error of judgment that caused despair . . . an occasional sinful thought or two . . . a slip-up or down-fall that prompted friends to ask, what on earth are you up to.
Yes, you have; yes, I have; but thanks to God who gives us victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ; for, He who knew no sin became sin for us, paid the price for our sins, and made a way for us to rise from the ruins of Egypt, to set our sights on things above, to plant our feet on higher ground! Amen.
