Speedy Preparation for the Work
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Thus prepared, he was ready to heed the call of God to exchange
his shepherd’s crook for the rod of authority; to leave his flock of sheep
to take the leadership of more than a million idolatrous, rebellious
people. But he was to depend upon the invisible Leader. Even as the
rod was simply an instrument in his hand, so was he to be a willing
instrument to be worked by the hand of Jesus Christ. Moses was
selected to be the shepherd of God’s own people, and it was through
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his firm faith and abiding trust in the Lord that so many blessings
reached the children of Israel. The Lord Jesus seeks the co-operation
of such men as will become unobstructed channels through which the
riches of heaven may be poured out upon the people of His love. He
works through man for the uplifting and salvation of His chosen.
Moses was called to labor in co-partnership with the Lord, and it
was the simplicity of his character, combined with a practical educa-
tion, that constituted him such a representative man. In the very height
of his human glory the Lord permitted Moses to reveal the foolishness
of man’s wisdom, the weakness of human strength, that he might be
led to understand his utter helplessness, and his inefficiency without
being upheld by the Lord Jesus.
The rashness of Moses in slaying the Egyptian was prompted by
a presumptuous spirit. Faith moves in the strength and wisdom of
God, and not in the ways of men. By simple faith Moses was enabled
to press through difficulties, and overcome obstacles which seemed
almost insurmountable. When they relied upon Him, not trusting to
their own power, the mighty General of armies was faithful to Israel.
He delivered them from many difficulties from which they could never
have escaped, if left to themselves. God was able to manifest His great
power through Moses because of his constant faith in the power and
in the loving intentions of their Deliverer. It was this implicit faith in
God that made Moses what he was. According to all that the Lord
commanded him, so did he. All the learning of the wise men could
not make him a channel through which the Lord could labor, however,
until he lost his self-confidence, realized his own helplessness, and
put his trust in God; until he was willing to obey God’s commands
whether they seemed to his human reason to be proper or not.
Those persons who refuse to move forward until they see every
step plainly marked out before them, will never accomplish much; but
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every man who shows his faith and trust in God by willingly submitting