After the Jump
Reading Time: 5 minutes
But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”
Exodus 3:11-12
I’ve asked God for a lot of signs throughout my life. But if I'm being honest, not all of them were needed. Sometimes, I ask for signs as a way of prolonging the time before I jump into the things God is calling me to. I know God is calling me to do something uncomfortable. I may be able to see it plain and clear, but I still ask for a sign just so I can wait a little longer before doing what God tells me to do.
In this chapter of Exodus, God tells Moses that He has seen the oppression of His people and, through Moses, wants to step in, but Moses keeps prolonging the situation with excuses. God calls him by name through a bush engulfed in flames and tells him that his people’s dreams will come true. God tells Moses the things He will do and Moses is afraid. He claims he is too weak. God says He will give the words and Moses says he can't speak. Then, when Moses is afraid to go by himself, God gives him a helper. Moses is supposed to get moving, but he keeps asking questions and complaining.
This exchange really caught my attention. Moses says, “Who am I to go before Pharaoh and lead the people out of Egypt?” I want to look at God’s response here. God reminds Moses that He will be with him and says He will give Moses a sign. If I was Moses, my ears might’ve perked up. A sign builds confidence or gives confirmation. A sign always seems like a good idea. But God's sign is that the people will worship God on this mountain after Moses brings them out of Egypt. Did you catch that clause? The sign isn’t that everyone magically appears on the mountain that second. No, the sign comes after the leap of faith on Moses’ part.
God's sign of provision is going to come after He provides. God's reminder of who He is comes after Moses steps out on faith and allows God to show Himself. This is big. Sometimes, God does give initial signs that allow us to trust Him, like burning bushes. But faith is built on the journey; real faith comes from walking in faith. The real reminder of who God is might come after you try Him and do what He says. Before God gives proof, Moses has to jump. He must go to Pharoah and the Israelites and tell them God’s plan, fight through Pharaoh’s oppressive reactions, and deal with the Israelites’ complaints. If Moses watched, he would see God fighting throughout his life. Those would be the seeds that time would turn into bursts of faith for Moses.
When God tells us to remember things, it’s a big deal. Because memory reminds us who God is and what He does. Like a workout, continuous faith in action actually builds our faith. God may be calling you to something and you—afraid and stalling for time—ask for another sign. But God isn’t going to tell you the ground is solid until you step onto it.
Throughout my life, I've had many times where I pause and am reminded that I'm living my dream. A friend asked me, “How do you know you've made it?” during a consultation interview for their company and I answered that “Making it” isn't a job title, a place, or a destination. It’s a journey. So as long as you're on the path that God has called you to, you're good. I explained that while at conference meetings earlier that week, I would get a quick workout every night in the hotel weight room. I looked at the mirror one night as I was in my workout gear and saw exactly who I dreamt of being! At that moment, I realized how far I have come. I've had many moments like that: just stopping to realize I’m on the path I’ve always prayed for. I found an old prayer journal with requests and realized all of them were answered. I didn't even remember until way after the fact. Those victories built my current faith.
Your stories and testimonies will continually remind you, so allow moments in the past to inform your future. Remember what God has done before, but don't stay in place. Keep walking because faith is being built. You may only know you’ll get through your Pharaoh after the plagues.
The sign comes after the miracle.
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