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Fundamentals of Christian Education
himself to Him, enduring the divine discipline imposed, will become
a successful workman for the Master of the vineyard. In their efforts
to qualify themselves to be colaborers with God, men frequently place
themselves in such positions as will completely disqualify them for
the molding and fashioning which the Lord desires to give them. Thus
they are not found bearing, as did Moses, the divine similitude. By
submitting to God’s discipline, Moses became a sanctified channel
through which the Lord could work. He did not hesitate to change his
way for the Lord’s way, even though it did lead in strange paths, in
untried ways. He did not permit himself to make use of his education
by showing the unreasonableness of God’s commands, and the impos-
sibility of obeying them. No; he placed a very low estimate upon his
own qualifications to complete successfully the great work which the
Lord had given him. When he started on his commission to deliver the
people of God from their bondage, to all human appearances it was
a most hopeless undertaking; but he confided in Him with whom all
things are possible.
Many in our day have had far better opportunities, enjoyed far
greater privileges, for obtaining a knowledge of God, than did Moses;
but his faith puts to shame their manifest unbelief. At the command
of God, Moses advanced, although there was nothing ahead for his
feet to tread upon. More than a million people were depending upon
him, but he led them forward step by step, day by day. God permitted
these lonely travels through the wilderness so that they might obtain
an experience in enduring hardships, and so that when they were in
peril, they might know that there was relief and deliverance in God
alone, and that thus they might learn to know and to trust God, and to
serve Him with a living faith. It was not the teachings of the schools
of Egypt that enabled Moses to triumph over all his enemies, but an
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ever-abiding faith, an unflinching faith, a faith that did not fail under
the most trying circumstances.
When God commanded Moses to do anything, he did it without
stopping to consider what the consequences might be. He gave God
credit for wisdom to know what He meant and firmness of purpose to
mean what He said; and therefore Moses acted as seeing the Invisible.
God is not seeking for men of perfect education. His work is not
to wait while His servants go through such wonderfully elaborate
preparations as our schools are planning to give; but the Lord wants