I had a good laugh today while I was reading my Bible. I’ve been trying and trying to think of some real life correlation to write about it in its context, but I can’t seem to come up with anything. However, I just had to share this scripture with you anyway.
I was reading in Numbers 11:14-15. Moses is speaking to the Lord about the Israelites.
“I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”
Between my family life and my ministry life, I have to admit that those words could’ve come straight out of my mouth at one time or another.
I’m still laughing as I write this. Isn’t it so good that the Lord of the Universe can handle it when we express our real feelings to Him? I love that God allowed those words of Moses to be in the Bible. It makes me feel better that even Moses had moments where He “had it out” with God. It makes Moses seem not so holy and unattainable and non-applicable to my life. Now he seems like a real guy with a REAL GOD that understands us better than we’ll ever comprehend.
I mean really, if we are to be a Friend of God then we are going to have those moments too. Don’t you have those moments with your close earthly friends? So why would it be different with God? Yes, I still understand my place in relation to God. I have a healthy fear of Him and understand his holiness. However, this exchange in scripture reminds me that God does not want me to have a surface relationship with Him. He wants the real me. The one that doesn’t pretend that everything is fine. He wants the deepest parts of me and I cannot do that without being real. He can take it and for that I cannot express enough gratitude.
Be encouraged today and know that the One who created you wants to hear from you even if your words will not be pretty. He doesn’t want your plastic churchy heart. He wants the real you–the very deepest parts of you. So with the example of Moses–someone worthy of making it into the Bible–go ahead and be a real Friend of God.
