Mysty Pfeffer“And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name, Gershom, for he said, ‘I am a sojourner in a foreign land.”
Exodus 2:21-22
Exodus 2 ESV – The Birth of Moses – Now a man from the – Bible Gateway
The messiness of passing through this life affects us physically and spiritually. I see this in my life and the lives of the ancient people in the bible as God shows me how they struggle, just like me.
In Exodus 2 this morning, I learn about Moses’ journey to becoming a leader. I see the cry of his heart gain a voice as he names his son, Gershom. ‘A sojourner in a foreign land’; he is not a permanent settler but readying for a temporary stay.
It’s a familiar story in his life.
He is passing through Midian as he passed through the tall reeds of the Nile River as a baby escaping infanticide. Displacement sets deep in his heart as Pharoah’s daughter took pity on his crying frame.
Although his sister secures continued nursing from the mother who loves him by offering the princess a wet nurse, he is destined to be raised an Egyptian. A few short months later, the young toddler is handed over to the princess. She calls him Moses because she drew him out of the water.
It’s messy when you know you are different and you feel like you don’t belong.
He is an outcast among his adopted family because of his heritage and he is scorned by the Hebrews because he looks, and acts like an Egyptian. Although he risks his own life defending a man being beaten by an Egyptian, he is not accepted.
One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked at their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.”
Exodus 2:11-14
Fleeing in fear as word of his killing the man spreads to Pharaoh, he arrives in Midian. He is rewarded for defending the daughters of Reuel as they attempted to water their flocks among rowdy neighboring shepherds. Reuel gives him Zipporah as a wife, and she bears him Gershom.
Lean On Jesus and Follow His Example
I think you and I can empathize with Moses’ predicament. In a culture whose values and morals are very different from God’s plans and ways, we can feel like outcasts, too.
Not feeling a kindred spirit with the people of Pharoah’s palace or in Midian is the same way we feel about the world. It has no eternal hold on us because we are just passing through.
We have a heart for the weak and the downtrodden, just as Moses did, and we’ll face retribution for standing up for what is right. At times our biblical worldview clashes so abruptly with the culture we have to decide when to stand our ground.
The best news of all is Jesus came passing through our mess to share the load. When the weakness of spirit and body begins to overwhelm us, we lean on his example of perseverance and prayer.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Mathew 11:28-29)
We can also rest in what He accomplished on the cross. Defeating sin and death by taking on God’s wrath was the major purpose of his sojourn. However, in the process, he also accepted the outcast thief beside Him, forgave those who persecuted Him, and secured the care of His mother.
His short, messy stay here changed the entire world.
We can too.
Focus More on God as We Pass Through Life
Knowing you and I are sojourners in this place helps us focus more on God and what He wants us to do.
The apostle Paul understands this age-old struggle. He assures Christ’s followers at Corinth to rest assured when this tent of a body is gone, we have a heavenly home with God for eternity. It is normal to groan in these feeble bodies as we long for our heavenly home. (2 Corinthians 5:1-2)
Despite feeling out of place, we can be effective and fruitful in our calling.
The darkness of the world is passing away and the true light is shining through the hearts and faith of every believer. (1 John 2:8) We have hope as we keep our eyes fixed on Christ.
“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
(1 John 2:17)
So, if the cry of the outcast is on your heart today, embrace it!
Following the examples of Moses who struggled with it, and Jesus who accepted it, is part of our ministry. Neither one of them let the messiness of passing through stop them from accomplishing God’s purpose.
