Mark Sorensen It’s been fun sharing my story with the Woodlands UMC church community. This weekend I am speaking in the chapel services and the following weekend (August 18) I am excited to speak to both the Harvest community and in the traditional 11:00 am service. In all these services the main focus will be on my story and our need to be obedient to step out into those areas where God is calling us to step into. We all need that reminder to step out in faith and know, not just who we are, but whose we are. But what happens when we meet conflict? What happens when we meet adversity? I am glad you asked.
Reading through the book of Numbers in the Old Testament I came across a passage where Moses just PUTS IT OUT THERE to God. Let’s be honest. Ever just been completely honest with God in your life? I’m talking about, Lieutenant Dan, on top of the boat, screaming at God in a hurricane in the movie, “Forest Gump”, honest with God? Really. Can we be that honest? Moses does and he holds nothing back.
Moses said to God, “Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, ‘Give us meat; we want meat.’ I can’t do this by myself—it’s too much, all these people. If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I’ve seen enough; I’ve had enough. Let me out of here.” Numbers 11:11-15 MSG
Moses has been holding the frustration of leading the Israelites and they were, apparently, a whiney group of people. So Moses shares his heart with God and holds nothing back. He leaves NO question as to where he emotionally in the matter. God responds with two things. One, he tells Moses to bring 70 people back with him and God will put the burden on their shoulders as well as Moses’ shoulders so he doesn’t have to carry it alone (huge point there, “don’t carry it alone”). Secondly, God asks Moses the following question:
“The LORD answered Moses, ‘Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.'” Numbers 11:23 NIV
Boom. There it is. The difference between God and a T-Rex. Are the Lord’s arms too short? What a beautiful question. God is saying, “Do you really think that you are so far away from me that I can’t hold you where you are at in your life right now?” Honestly, we forget that sometimes, huh? We get caught in our circumstances. Somehow, we think that the circumstances are beyond our control and God is too far away, too distant, too busy to fix them. The beauty in what God is saying to Moses is this: “I’m not so far away that I can’t reach down and carry this for you”.
Where are you in your life? Where are the areas that you need to trust that God’s arms can still reach out and take control over? May you be reminded that you are not alone and may you take consolation in God’s arms that are just long enough to reach you where you are, right here, right now.
