Every good and perfect gift comes from our Father in heaven. Those who long to serve the Father must receive from Him. That doesn’t sound like a difficult aspect of servanthood, does it? In reality, it is very difficult and demands great faith!
By this time in Moses’ life, he already had learned some high-level truths. Evil and injustice happens. Good—even ‘right’—desires not submitted to God bring disaster. Serving God requires leaving your comfort zone and entering holy ground. Appreciating your design (with its limitations) and putting it all in God’s hands creates wild results. Learning to receive from God expands servant training!
Let’s look at how this instruction in growth came to Moses:
And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. (Exodus 4:6-7)
Leprosy in Bible times meant shame, ostracization and ultimately death. While God had not yet given the Law, the reality of the disease surely struck fear in Moses’ heart when he saw his hand. Highly contagious, leprosy literally eats away at the flesh. Then, as now, no cure existed. Pause with Moses and look at his hand. Feel the emotions of deep dread, hopelessness and grief. That is the place of healing servants must be willing to face.
Ah, but JOY comes with obedience. ‘Put your hand near your heart again…’ and feel the blessed wholeness of healing. That which is close to the heart of the servant belongs to God as well. Our health, our reputations, our loved ones…everything is His to work with—to afflict, and glory to Him, to heal! He is trustworthy. Hear Jesus’ words in John 6:
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
The Father and the Son will take care of all the servant entrusts to them…far better care than we take on our own. It is a servant lesson we need not rush; as the Loved One often says in the Song of Solomon, ‘Awaken not love before its time.’ We need not make sacrifices to prove our love; we only need to receive the gift of faith that fills us with courage.
The emphasis cannot be overstated: we receive faith. We neither earn nor create faith. Furthermore, the necessity of faith cannot be overstated. Without faith there is no pleasing God; working from our flesh never pleases Him! Faith received is ours to exercise. Servants learn to allow God to work in heart-rending ways. Where is God calling you to receive greater faith? Will you trust Him to bring healing and wholeness?
Heartsong Ministries 