“Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.”
Acts 7:25

Yesterday, while reading in Acts 7 about Stephen speaking to the Sanhedrin, I was impressed with Stephen’s summary about Moses’ life, and specifically with the reminder that if we truly live seeking to walk with God, His timing for using us does not necessarily coincide with our sense of when we’re ready for Him to make a bold stance with our life.

Moses, a Hebrew raised in the house of Pharoah, had all of the power and prestige of Egypt’s royal family at his fingertips. Except Moses still identified himself with his people, who were enslaved.

One day, witnessing an Egyptian beating his slave, Moses acts out and slays the belligerent. Only a day after this episode, Moses witnesses to Hebrews fighting and decides to try and arbitrate between the two. His effort is rebuffed, and his integrity is indicted when one of the men asks him, “Will you kill us like you killed the Egyptian?” Moses, at the height of his young strength, his zeal for seeing the liberation of his people, and his political power, is not ready for use by God to deliver the Israelites from Egypt.

Instead, God takes Moses out of the palace, away from the populus, away from the people, away from power and popularity and privilege, and makes him a fugitive nomad, driving him to wander for forty years in Midian, where He teaches him how to survive in the desert.

In Moses’ mind, being aristocratic- imperial, educated, empowered, and affluent- suggested that he was an ideal to lead Israel out of Egypt. However, God needed a totally different man- a man familiar with flight and survival- to help get His people home. Moses was the right man for the job, but he wanted to accomplish it through his means, on his schedule, by his strength. God needed Moses to learn that in works of God, they must be accomplished through His means, on His schedule, by His strength.

Like Moses, when you and I want to see God work in us and through us in our lives, God wants to do great things in us and through us as well. But we have to learn that to see His activities in our lives, they must be accomplished through His means, on His schedule, by His strength. We must be listening for His leadership, trust Him for His timing, and wait to see Him work.

And another thought.  Sometimes things in our lives that seem like they should work out a certain way don’t.  Recalling this story, we would do well to remember that in the case of our lives, our story isn’t over.  What may not be right right now may fall into place down the road.  Still key for us in this situation?  Listen, wait, and trust Him.