Saturday, February 28, 2009

Mourning A Fatherless Moses and Our Call

I'm going to miss Moses. He died yesterday. Ok, not really yesterday, but yesterday in my reading and finishing of the book of Deuteronomy! He was an amazing, unlikely leader. . .

He was born during a time of crisis. His mom fought to give him life and had to send him away, praying for life. So much like many women across the world who send their children to orphanages, praying for life to be provided. He was found by an Egyptian princess!

No wonder I like him, he was a TRANSRACIAL ADOPTEE!!! I LOVE God's word and how it speaks to our world today and specifically to my family!

Not only a transracial adoptee but one who ended up in power over his people then used it to free them! Moses may have felt so out of place in his world. . .a Hebrew raised in the palaces of the Pharoah who was enslaving his people. And yet, it is in this difficult mix God raised up a leader. He calls MOSES to lead his people. Moses felt so unworthy. . .he wasn't even a great public speaker and felt so inadequate and yet God used him. Do you need to stop a minute and take that in?! I do.

One thing that is interesting to me in particular as I dwell on Moses' fatherless state is the truth that God used him to speak to the people. A truth about the responsibility of God's people to care for the fatherless among them. Remember, Moses got his word from the Lord and then went out to the people to share it with them. I wonder (and can't wait to ask Moses) how often he just wept when God spoke truths like, "He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. " (Deut 10:18) Can you imagine how that spoke to Moses' personal life and heart? Then, he got to be a part of God's delivery of that very message to his people!

This "taking care of orphans" thing is not just my passion, it's a calling by God on all of our lives. Now, that will look different for each of us. . .some may adopt, while others sponsor a child and still others develop relationships with the fatherless in their church or neighborhood. I'm not telling you HOW to do it, just that it's a command of God and not just a good idea! Simply read Deuteronomy and you'll see it throughout the whole book. At least 10 times, it is mentioned as a command of the people to give of themselves, their crops, their tithes, their advocacy.

In fact, one of the strongest statements comes in Deuteronomy 27 where the Lord is listing out regulations and speaking simply that "cursed is the man who. . ." This is a list of the worst of the worst. I mean, things I don't want to write here (because my google ads choose based on my word choices!). And, tucked among these commands is "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow". He takes this seriously! This is right after his stance on cursed is the man who tricks blind people on the road, is incestual with his daughter and who sleeps with his mother in law! Yes, he takes the concept of justice for the fatherless that seriously.

What do we do with that? My question to take to the Lord is "how would I be withholding justice for the fatherless?" or even how am I not living out the laws of giving of myself for the fatherless, the widow and the alien (read stranger or sojourner other places). Remember, it's not about what the answer looks like in your life compared to mine or anyone else's! It's about asking the question and being ready for the answers.

In fact, you can start now. . . begin to pray for the fatherless of Uganda. Specifically, the fatherless who are ministered to by Bethesda Int'l at Rapha Village Orphanage, Rapha Village School and the other children who are ministered to by this amazing group of Ugandan believers. They are in crisis. 357 children with no money for school or food right now. Begin praying for provision and ask God how He might use you. Stay tuned because we will (surprise!) be announcing a way to get involved on Monday. Check Tom Davis' blog as well as mine and others (and hopefully join us in adding it to yours) on Monday for more details!

Let's live God's call. Let's be Jesus' hands and feet to our world. . .and be changed in the process. Moses, I'll miss you. . . but this leads us easily into the first chapter of Joshua and "Be strong and very courageous! Be careful to obey all the law my servand Moses gave you; do not turn to the right or left, that you may be sucessful wherever you go" (Josh 1:7)

3 comments:

Kathleen said...

Thanks for your help with the Red Letter blog and I look forward to tomorrow's post to see how I might be involved more. Your post is "right on" about God's heart for the fatherless and how we all need to be doing something for the millions of orphans around the world. This is my passion and has been since I was small. I am ready to do more!

Misi said...

Great word. Thanks for this post.
XOXO-Misi

Donna Barber said...

love the photo of you and davis!!! :0)