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A look at the bigger picture

Do you ever wish God’s will was clear for your life? I mean, CLEAR.

Massiel Davila-Ferrer

IN GOOD FAITH

Do you ever wish God’s will was clear for your life? I mean, CLEAR.

You want to know which job, which house and which school. We want details even in the small stuff — weather to spend the summer holidays camping or visiting grandparents. Or if it’s a sign when the shoes you’ve been eyeing for a while go on sale.

We ask God for guidance, but sometimes there seems to be silence. We want to know what the next step is, but he doesn’t seem to be interested in sharing the details. We are frustrated because in some instances in our lives we have felt his guidance loud and clear and that was great. Let’s get that kind of volume and certainty all the time. But, no go.

Moses had a similar experience. Not my cousin Moses, the biblical one.

With Moses we have the unique gift that we can read some of the actual conversations he had with God. He’s talking to God and might be panicking about a fairly huge task before him: get the nation of Israel safely to the promised land via the desert. No problem, he just wants to know what the plan is. Their conversation reads like this from The Message Bible:

Moses said to God, “Look, you tell me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you don’t let me know whom you’re going to send with me. You tell me, ‘I know you well and you are special to me.’ If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans.”

God said, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.”

Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you’re with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not?”

God said to Moses: “All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name.”

Exodus 33:12-16 (emphasis mine.)

Moses is having the same conversation with God that we so often do. He’s wording it differently, but he wants to make sure God stays with them, that his presence accompanies them as they wander. God reassures him, “I will be there.”

Moses insists, “What’s the plan? How will I know you’re there if you’re not there?” God says, “I’ll be there. I see you. I know you’re name. You are special to me.”

Our minds echo Moses words, “What’s the plan here?” God doesn’t give a shallow answer, he goes right to the heart of it. “What you’re afraid of is being out of my reach, afraid of being alone. Not possible. I will be there. I will wander with you. You are special to me.”

We’d like some clarity, boundaries or a timeline/map combo of our lives if we could get it, but God has a bigger picture in mind. We get tripped up on the details. God says, “No matter what, I am with you.”

Massiel Davila-Ferrer is the Pastor of Nurture at the College Heights Seventh-Day Adventist Church.