40 Days of Seeking First the Kingdom of God
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Daily Insight:
Just as Moses found his calling in an unexpected burning bush, our most transformative moments often come disguised as challenges. Embrace these as Kingdom appointments leading to God's purpose for your life.
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Proverbs 3:5–6 (CSB)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
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Imagine a football coach who has a playbook for every game. This playbook contains strategies and plays designed for victory. Now, think of a player who, despite having access to this playbook, decides to play the game based on his intuition and understanding. Unsurprisingly, this approach leads to a series of misplays and losses. Each game becomes a record of what could have been if only he had followed the coach's plan.
This scenario parallels our walk with God as illustrated in Proverbs 3:5–6, which tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight." Our lives, much like the football game, come with a divine playbook - God's Word. Yet, often, we choose to rely on our understanding, leading to decisions we later regret.
But here's the twist in God's kingdom: when we decide to truly follow God's playbook, seeking His Kingdom first, something remarkable happens. Our past regrets, the misplays of our life, start to take on a new meaning. Just like a wise coach who uses past games' footage to teach players valuable lessons, God uses our regrets to teach and mold us.
Consider the player who finally decides to follow the coach's playbook. He begins to understand his role in the team and the strategy behind each play. The mistakes of the past games become lessons that contribute to his growth and the team's success. Similarly, when we align our lives with God's Word, our past regrets are woven into our spiritual growth. They become lessons that enhance our understanding and faith in God’s plan.
This transformation reveals a profound truth: in God's kingdom, our regrets are not the end. They are part of a larger narrative where God turns our missteps into testimonies of His grace and wisdom. As we trust in Him and not in our limited understanding, He crafts our story in a way that not only redeems our past but also glorifies Him through our lives. Our regrets, under God's guidance, become a testament to His redemptive power and a crucial part of our spiritual playbook.
The Burning Bush Moment: Finding God’s Purpose in the Unexpected
Exodus 3:2-3 - "There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.'"
Imagine Moses, a man who once walked the halls of Pharaoh's palace, now spending 40 years in the wilderness, far from the splendor and intrigue of Egypt. He's tending sheep, a job that’s a far cry from his royal upbringing. Then, one ordinary day in the desert, he encounters the extraordinary—a bush ablaze, yet not consumed. This isn't just any bush; it's a divine appointment, a symbol of God's Kingdom purpose being ignited within Moses.
This burning bush moment is pivotal. It's God's way of saying, "I have a plan for you, Moses, something beyond the ordinary, beyond what you've known." This bush, ablaze yet not destroyed, represents the enduring, unquenchable purpose God had for Moses—to lead His people out of Egyptian slavery.
In our lives, we too have our "burning bush" moments, those unexpected events that defy logic and reason. They're not just coincidences; they're divine appointments. These moments may come in various forms; perhaps it's a job loss, symbolized by a pink slip that forces us to reevaluate our path. Or it could be long, sleepless nights in a hospital bed, where in the quietness, we find ourselves more attuned to God's voice than ever before. Sometimes, it’s a sudden change in direction, a path we never thought we’d walk, leading us to a purpose greater than anything we imagined.
Moses' life, from his time in Pharaoh's palace to his years in the wilderness, was God’s way of preparing him for this very moment. At the burning bush, his focus shifted. No longer was he just a shepherd on a mountainside; he was called to be a liberator, a leader for God's people.
From Regret to Kingdom Purpose: Moses' Transformation in the Wilderness
Isaiah 43:18-19 - Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Now think about Moses at the age of 80, exhausted, worn down, and isolated, haunted by memories of a life of luxury and ease that he lived in Pharaoh's palace. A life that was filled with the prosperity of Egypt and the best education, the most powerful army, and the highest privilege of being adopted as the son of the most powerful man in the world. But one impulsive moment had turned his world upside down, and in one day, he went from a royal prince to a forgotten fugitive.
Have you ever wished you could go back in time and undo a decision that altered your life? Can you relate to Moses’ remorse—his regret of "what could have been" that had followed him for 40 years?
There isn't anything in this life that humbles us like pain. If you've ever lost something you held dear, if anything has ever slipped through your fingers because of your bad decisions, leaving you wanting a second chance, then you can relate to Moses.
For many people, their prayer life usually dominates a request for personal blessings, seeking how they can live their best life now. But for those Jesus followers who have bounced all over the back of the struggle bus to the backside of the wilderness, they learn a different approach to prayer. They learned to pray and ask God to remove everything from their lives that does not serve His Kingdom purpose. They learned to hold everything in this world loosely, relying on God's sovereignty and inviting God to shape their lives into His Kingdom purpose.
The enemy wants to make your past regrets a stumbling block; God wants to make them stepping stones towards your Kingdom purpose. Like Moses, we all face hardships, make mistakes, and carry the weight of our regrets. However, when we give them to God, He uses our experiences not to shackle us but to shape us. So when you find yourself lost in the wilderness of regret, remember that God sees you, He is guiding you, and He is weaving your past regrets into His Kingdom purpose. So take the next step of faith towards the Kingdom, hold everything in this world loosely, and invite God to open your eyes to how He is shaping you for His plan. Know this: Your regret is not the end of your story; God is at work, turning your past pains into a powerful testimony of his love and redeeming grace.