Acts 7:17-25: a reflection

17“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph. 19The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive. 20At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house. 21When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son. 22Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. 23But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. 25He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.

In Stephen's retelling of Israel's history, he comes to Moses, and to a revealing moment. Moses, raised in Pharaoh's court but aware of his kinship with the oppressed Israelites, tries to help. Seeing an Israelite wronged by an Egyptian, he defends him and strikes the Egyptian down. He supposed, Stephen says, that his brothers would understand that God was giving them deliverance by his hand; but they did not understand. Moses acted, but it was premature, by his own hand, in his own timing, and it failed.

Notice the mistake in Moses' well-meant action. He had a true sense that God had a purpose for him, that he was to be part of Israel's deliverance. But he tried to bring it about prematurely, by his own strength and in his own timing, taking matters violently into his own hands; and it failed, and he had to flee. The calling was real, but the way he pursued it was wrong. God's deliverance would come through Moses, but not like this, and not yet; it would take forty more years and God's own timing.

That is a caution for those of us who sense God's calling but are tempted to force it. We may have a true sense of what God wants to do through us, and then, in our impatience, try to bring it about by our own strength and in our own timing, rather than waiting for God's way and time. But God's purposes are accomplished in God's way, not forced by our premature, self-driven efforts. When you sense God's calling, do not rush to force it by your own hand. Wait for God's timing and way; let him bring about his purposes as he wills, rather than striving to make them happen prematurely by your own strength, as Moses did, only to fail.

Lord, Moses had a true sense that you had a purpose for him in Israel's deliverance, but he tried to bring it about prematurely, by his own hand and timing, and it failed; your deliverance would come through him, but in your way and time, forty years later. Caution me by that. I may have a true sense of what you want to do through me, and then, in my impatience, try to bring it about by my own strength and in my own timing, rather than waiting for your way and time. But your purposes are accomplished in your way, not forced by my premature, self-driven efforts. When I sense your calling, keep me from rushing to force it by my own hand. Help me wait for your timing and way, and let you bring about your purposes as you will, rather than striving to make them happen prematurely by my own strength. Teach me to trust your timing, and not to force what only you can bring.