Take Number: 2022

Many hoped 2021 was our second chance (after 2020 hit so many so hard) a “do-over” was overdue! Yet for many, 2021 has not been the comeback most were anticipating. Dear one, beloved of God (yes, that includes YOU, dear one, beloved of God) if you read no further I hope you catch that there are THREE twos in 2022, yes 3!! Because sometimes it takes more than just one second chance to get things right, am I right?! Oh, I know I’m right – living proof! Our God is a God of second chances, the fat chance, the slim chance and yes, even the 2022nd chance, dear one! 

Moses became (note – key word: “became”) one of the greatest men mentioned in the Bible for His foreshadowing of the Greatest; our Messiah, Jesus Christ. Moses walked out a process. He too needed to be called, “dear one, beloved of God”, more than once (see Exodus 4:10-16). 

When Moses was younger he found himself tangled in a web of why’s. Probably thinking to himself, “Why had life gone this way?! I clearly planned right, and things went left!!” At age 40… Acts 7:25 (NIV) Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. That’s a bummer… or maybe not, because God had not discarded His plan or purpose for Moses in spite of what other humans may have thought. What Moses figured should have worked in his present, God would progressively work out through a process; His process, not Moses’ (Isaiah 55:8-9).

For 40 years Moses would tend sheep in the wilderness before God would show up with a life changing adventure like no other! At this point Moses is about 80 and yet somehow through submission to God’s process, Moses’ life purpose had not decreased nor his passion diminished! After walking his sheep to the FAR side of the wilderness (at 80) he still found the fire of curiosity burning in his bones to walk even further! As Moses gets closer to the presence of God (and isn’t that the goal of any process of God’s; to bring us closer to His heart?!! YES!) God tells Moses to take off his sandals because he is walking on holy ground (Ex. 3:1-5). To get into the presence of God is there anything we need to remove, any sin we need to confess, turn from, in order to walk forward in faith (Hebrews 4:16)? 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NIV) As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (NIV) 

Moses, now in his 80’s, probably when he least expected it, God commissioned him for some of the greatest work ever completed in history!! NOW Moses was REALLY ready unlike he had THOUGHT he was back in his 40’s. Glance back up Moses’ attitude recorded in Acts 7:25 and compare it to Exodus 13:3 (NIV), Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand… Notice the transformation of perspective that has taken place through the process of 40 years in the wilderness! From (Acts 7:25), “Why can’t the people recognize God is using ME?! To (Ex. 13:3),  “Never forget the LORD Who has done this great thing! Never forget HIS mighty hand that has set you free!” 

Somewhere in the “process” of 40 years in the wilderness that may have often seemed like things would never get better and felt like failure had fractured any future hopes… Moses gained proper perspective. He was refined, his future redeemed, his purpose and passion fanned into a flame to fulfill a destiny only God could have defined!!! 

Numbers 12:3 (NIV) (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) NOW he was, but it came through a process. A process he was willing to persevere through to get to the point of all the questions, doubts, failures and fears. 

Dear one, beloved of God, I pray this year, with not one, not two, but THREE number 2’s in it (2022) you and I will embrace the process God is working out (Romans 8:28, John 5:17). Keep taking the new chances each breath in your lungs provides opportunity for dear one; for His good purpose will ALWAYS prevail if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). God’s mighty hand is already outstretched toward you. So even if it’s “take number 2022”, now’s the time to take hold of His mercies that are new EVERY morning (Lamentations 2:22-23) again! So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) 

God bless you muchly~ Happy New Year 2022!!!

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