The midland journal., 1943-07-09
GOD CALLS A LEADER

GOD CALLS A LEADER
LESSON TEXT-Exodus 3:l.12.
GOLDEN TEXT-Come now therefore, and
I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou
mayest bring forth my people the children
Of Israel out Of Egypt.-Exodus $40.
God calls men, commissions, and
uses them to carry out His plans
and purposes in the earth. What a
great truth that is, and how it glori-
fies the destiny of man to know
that it is divinely appointed.
AS Joseph Parker effectively
points out, the experience Of Moses
in Midian was direct dealing with
God, whereas we who may not be
able to "see the fountain" must 'sbe
content to drink at the stream" but
should always remember that the
stream flows from that same four-
tain.
every man should put to himself
the questions. What is my destiny?
What does God mean me to be and
to do in the world? It Is a
most pitiable thing that a man
should read Of Moses being divinely
called to special work" and
fail to realize "that God has a spe-
cial work for every man to do" Let
us be careful that we do not $50
pervert and misinterpret circum-
stances as to press them into a
justification of self-will," rather than
recognize them as destiny which
Is beckoning us to duty"
For our instruction and guidance
we consider, then, the story of the
call of this outstanding leader Of
Israel. 1t presents him as true
servant of God, one who was
I. Personally Equipped.
While it is a blessed truth that
God will use any man who surren-
ders himself to His control and guild
ance, no matter how limited that
mans ability and training may be,
1t is also true that, other things be-
ing equal, the man with the best
equipment will be the most useful
servant.
God gave Moses unique prepara-
ton. He was first of all Hebrew,
born among the people that he was
to lead. He knew the luxury and all
the cultural advantages of the Egyp-
tian court (Acts 1929, with the safe
guard of training by his own mother
as his nurse.
He observed at first hand the op-
preston of his people, and made
self-willed and impulsive effort to
deal with the problem. The result
was that he had a postgraduate"
course of instruction and discipline
in the wilderness, where he spent
forty years in the school of expert
ence.
We have learned anew from our
war experience that training for
service is essential. If that is true
in military matters and in secular
life, it is doubly true in the service
Of Christ. He does graciously use
even the humble and unframed
worker, but no one who has vision
of service will be content to remain
unprepared.
III. Spiritually Qualified.
Moses was man who knew God.
Had he been a worldly man he
would only have been curious re-
garding the phenomenon of the burn
ing bush. But note how alert and
reverent he was and how immedi-
ately responsive to the instructions
and the call of God.
Here Gods future leader was
made conscious Of the infinite mai
esty and holiness of God, the need
Of reverence and godly fear, the pur-
pose of the Eternal One to deliver
His people, and the assurance that
He would be with His servant. Such
spiritual experience made effec-
tive the excellent preparation which
he already had for service.
All the training and preparation
in the world is worse than useless in
Gods service apart from that spir-
itual qualification that comes from
true regeneration and dedication to
Him.
There is no more pathetic sight
siAoAA . SPiA POWCAA AACoo CllQl I'll
worker going through the motions Of
service for Christ. If we are in
that condition we may be sure that
we deceive no one but ourselves.
iii. Divinely Called.
Moses was called ". ~, commits
stoned (vv. 6-10), and clad with di-
vine authority (vv. II, 12) for his
great task.
God calls His servants to different
responsibilities and in different
ways, but the important thing is that
we should know that we are in His
will and that we are answering His
call.
No one has any right to choose
fuli-time Christian service simply as
desirable vocation. In any calling
of life man needs Gods guidance
in order to make a proper choice,
but in the ministry or missionary
service it is an absolute essential.
If we were more careful to seek
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