“Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow. “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.” (Exodus 4 6-7 NIV)
As your read the verses above, you will most likely recalled all Moses’ objections to God’s call for Moses to be His chosen one; called to lead the Israelites free from Egyptian bondage. While you are recalling what you have read before, you will note that for every excuse Moses could mustard up, God would cancel it and maintain His expectations. Just think about how much time we have wasted in life, verbalizing excuses, justifying them in our minds, and delaying being used by God to fulfill our purposes. We should be glad that just as persistent God was in His designed plan for Moses, He is just as persistent with us as He cancels all our objections and eliminates every excuse, minor or major, that we can manufacture. I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful for God’s persistence. He has used it to move me to do the purpose He had for me! Yes, sometimes it took a demonstration of His omnipotence to convince me, but in the end, He persuaded me. Sometimes it took His magnificent omniscience to move me, but in the end, He made my priorities different and, in the end, He motivated me to do His will. And of course, sometimes it was His omnipresence that changed by from uttering pitiful excuses and pressing on, striving to please Him. As God had to cancel every one of Moses’ excuses and objections, He is just as persistent with you and me, proving that while He is patient, He is greatly persistent in getting us to live out our purpose for Him.
There are many explanations for the meaning of the miracle in the opening verse, but I can only share what God is leading me to say today. When Moses first put his hand in his cloak, it was white as snow when he pulled it out. Think about it and think how without God’s intervention, we would be a pitiful sight, covered with sin. Without God’s intervention, our past mistakes would not be erased; our sins unforgiven. Without God’s intervention, we would be focusing on our inabilities as opposed to God’s exceedingly great abilities. In Moses’ case, he had to put His hand in his cloak and pull it out one more time and behold when he pulled it out this time, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. Do you believe that God can restore?
I’m glad that you do! So recognize that whatever you are facing right now, do what God tells you to do. When you look at all the disease, physical, mental, and spiritual shortcomings that are plaguing you and/or your people, turn your attention to God and realize He has the power, the presence, and the perfect knowledge to restore; restore us like the rest – to be in the condition we were once; changed back to be better. Ultimately, He can restore us to our original relationship with Him through Jesus the Christ. On this day, let us commit to looking to see what God wants to show us to give us the peace of mind we need to see that restoration is coming, blessings are coming; personally and for the entire world. Be blessed!
“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people…” (Amos 9:13-14a MSG)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King