Pauses and Delays

[0:00] A pastor's reflections, pauses, and delays. Exodus 24, 16. And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days.

[0:12] ! And the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Psalms 37, 7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Fret not thyself.

[0:27] 1 Corinthians 2, 9. But as it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

[0:41] So often, we misinterpret what God is doing because of what we think we see God doing. We see circumstances and activities taking place that we believe give us a clear picture of God's work.

[0:55] While what we see may accurately represent God's work, it may also just as likely be misinterpreted to mean something completely other than it appears.

[1:09] 2 Corinthians 5, 7. For we walk by faith, not by sight. Another way of saying this may be, we choose to believe what God tells us he is doing, instead of what it looks like he is doing.

[1:26] In Exodus chapter 24, it appeared as if Moses was being kept outside of God's presence. God, who had so recently instructed Moses to come into his presence, now appears to be keeping Moses at arm's length.

[1:40] Why? Why couldn't Moses simply walk into God's presence as God had instructed him? Why did he have to wait? God's timing is always for the maximum benefit of his people.

[1:55] What may look like a delay or a roadblock is in reality God working to maximize blessing and benefit for his people. There are no delays with God, only a pause for preparation.

[2:10] God knew that Moses' greatest blessing would not just be to come into his presence, but to enter into that presence in rest on the seventh day.

[2:23] 1 Corinthians 2, 16. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. It is not our place to call into question God's actions, but it is for us to understand God's actions.

[2:41] And we do that not because of what we see, but what we know. We know God's heart because we know the heart of Jesus. John 14, 7.

[2:52] If you had known me, you should have known my father also. And from henceforth, you know him and have seen him. John 7, 24.

[3:04] Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Today, don't let what you see in your circumstances inform you in what you believe about God.

[3:16] Instead, let what you know about God inform you that the pauses and delays are simply God's preparation for blessing.

[3:28] Father, thank you that your ultimate goal is always to bring your people near to you. Thank you that everything you are doing in our lives today is out of a heart of love and fellowship for your people.

[3:42] Thank you that we can understand your heart, even if we can't quite understand what you are doing. Help us to see Jesus and not circumstances. Amen.