4.27.2015

Allegorical Exodus

Doing the Seder over Lent inspired me to re-read Exodus and insert myself into the story. Who am I in Exodus and how are features of that story evident today, in the Christian community as well as in my own life. Over the past week I have had three opportunities to share some of the things God has been showing me through Exodus, so I thought it would be nice to share a few things with you as well.

In this allegorical Exodus here are the players:

Pharaoh = Satan
Moses = A believer with a burden
Israelites = A believer and his walk of faith

Exodus 1:8-14
“And he said to his people, ‘Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them’…Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens…But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied…And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel…In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.”

Satan is in dread of us, he doesn’t afflict us with heavy burdens because he is mightier, rather because he is in dread of us. He deals shrewdly with us because he knows that we are too many and too mighty for him. Satan knows that because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have freedom, but he is still dealing shrewdly with us and ruthlessly trying to make us work as slaves to our sin.
(This also made me think about the churches around the world that experience persecution, they multiply.)

Exodus 2:23-25 & 3:2-4
“the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help…And God heard their groaning…God saw the people of Israel – and God knew…the angel of the Lord appeared to him (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight’…When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush…”

The Israelites called out to God, He heard them, and 2 verses later Moses sees the burning bush. Sometimes we cry out to God, He hears us, but we don’t see immediate results. In Exodus the Israelites didn’t see God calling Moses, convincing him, leading him, and bringing him to the Israelites rescue. For all they knew, God wasn't doing anything.
God could have acted immediately, we’ve seen Him wipe out entire peoples (you know, the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah…) with His mighty hand. But, I think God’s preferred method is to use people. When people are involved, things can move a bit slower than if God just did it all on His own. He could have wiped out the Egyptians (He even says so in Exodus 9:15), instead He was patient, He was even humble, He chose to work through a man. God is not slow, He limits himself by people.

Exodus 3:5-22 & 4:1-17
This whole section is a back and forth between God and Moses. God tells Moses His plan. Moses says they won’t believe him. God gives Moses signs in order to convince the Israelites. Moses says He can’t speak well. God says, “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak”. Moses says, “please send someone else”. God gives Moses Aaron as a helper.

Yes, God gets frustrated and even angry with Moses over this interaction, but the thing that really stood out to me is that in that anger He responds with grace. At every objection God doesn’t say, “that isn’t worth worrying about” rather, He provides for that need. He doesn’t cut Moses off from his calling because he doesn’t respond in faith, He enables Moses to do it and encourages his faith. When He chastises Moses, He also responds by providing for the need. Even when God is frustrated with us, He will provide and care for us. Our needs, worries, and lack of faith don’t make Him distance himself from us or cut us off.

Exodus 4:29-31 & 5 & 6:1-13
“Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed…”

Signs and miracles really help us believe. God proved himself to the Israelites through miraculous signs and they believed. God also proves himself to us through miraculous signs. This part really resonates with some experiences that I have had in the past year.

But,

Signs don’t necessarily sustain faith when trials come. When faith and belief are rising Satan will attack them. He doesn’t want to lose whatever ground he has gained in your life. Every Christian is growing in some area, God has probably proved himself to you in that area…but then it comes under attack. How do we respond when the attack comes? Well, the Israelites lost faith and accused Moses and God. Have you ever done the same thing?

How does God respond to the Israelites and Moses? He reminds them. The first half of Chapter 6 is God reminding Moses of who He is and what He has promised. I find it interesting that God doesn’t send additional miraculous signs to “re-prove” himself, He just reminds them. Remembering is such an important part of our Christian walk. Are we focusing on the oppositions in our lives and the trials? Or, are we focusing on what God has said He will do. If we take a step in faith towards the freedom God offers us and meet greater difficulties, do we turn around and say, “God must not really mean that we have that freedom”? Satan uses our circumstances to deal shrewdly with us, keeping us in doubt of the freedom that God offers us. We must remember. Remember what God has done in your life. Remember what He has done in others' lives. Remember what the Bible says about Him. Remember especially what He says about himself.


There are several other really cool things that I’ve seen in Exodus. I just mentioned a couple. In leading this as a devotional over the past week I’ve gotten even more out of it by hearing what others see. I’d love to hear what God reveals to you through putting yourself into this story.

4.20.2015

Matthew 6:33

A couple of years ago I noticed that God was training me and teaching me to maintain my focus on Him. I experienced more peace by switching my focus from the worry, concern, or circumstances of my situation and onto God.
There is a bit of a paradigm shift that has been taking place in my thinking. Instead of seeing God through or in my circumstances, I am seeing my circumstances through or in God.

This lesson is ongoing and being honed more and more, and it is beautiful. The more the focus is on God, the more I feel peace, joy, love, patience…you know, the fruits of the spirit. Its wonderful that this is becoming more of a reality for me, not just something that the Bible says will happen.

In order to help keep the focus on God I made this, and it now hangs in my room across from where I have my quiet times.




I will note, my general lack of artistic inspiration made this very simple project take over 3 months.

4.13.2015

The Puto Kids

Several times a week I walk past this one house. This house is the home to a family with three kids; Gati, Nyamburu, and Freddy.

These kids are very respectful. They always run out to the road, shake my hand, say "shikamoo" (the proper way to greet your elder), and sometimes even give a slight bow. Even if they are in the middle of their bath, they'll jump out of the tub, run over to me and my housemate and make sure to greet us.

A couple months ago they asked us for "puto". I had no idea what a "puto" was, but after a brief, impromptu game of charades, I learned that it is a balloon. I have been asked for money and sodas by kids on the street, but never a balloon. The oddity of the request made us want to meet the need as soon as possible.

Thankfully, Sarah's mom was able to bring us nice sturdy punching balloons from the States!


And by some good luck we happened to bring the balloons on Gati's birthday! (Gati is the one with the blue balloon.)

4.07.2015

April 2015 Newsletter

To get a PDF of my latest newsletter you can go here: Found in Translation 4/2015

These JPEGs don't show up very well, so I would recommend getting the PDF, but if you want to just click on these pictures you are welcome to!



4.06.2015

It is wonderful having a house-guest

Sarah's mom, Boni, came to visit us here in Musoma for 6 weeks. She left for Nairobi this morning and it was sad to see her go. Having her here was wonderful in many ways, one of them was that her visit occasioned a number of social invites for us.

Whether it was visiting the homes of our night guards...

Visiting Jeremiah's house.

Visiting Mista Sakwa's house.
or visiting our next-door-neighbor's daughter at her school near Butiama.


It was also nice having someone around to take pictures when we happened to find a chameleon! (I espied this guy from my room and ran screaming through the house that there was a chameleon so that we could all go and see him...they are simply that exciting, honestly.)


Boni's visit will also mark the institution of Marshmallow Monday. A sometimes held tradition where we make marshmallows on Mondays and take stock of our lives over hot chocolate.


Having a house-guest occasioned many fun and new experiences and it was an absolute pleasure. So, if you are thinking of traveling to East Africa at any point, don't hesitate to invite yourself over. You will be very welcome. If you come on a Monday, we can make marshmallows!