Before the mountains were born
Or you brought forth the earth and the
world,
From everlasting to everlasting you are
God.
Psalm 90:2 NIV
God judged Israel for their unbelief and
disobedience by declaring they would wander in the desert for forty years—one
year for every day the spies scouted out the land of Canaan. He also proclaimed
that every man over twenty would die in the desert and not be allowed to enter
the Promised Land because they had complained
against the LORD. Joshua and Caleb alone would escape the penalty as they
believed God and encouraged the people to act according to God’s plan.
In Numbers 15, God instructed Moses on the
laws regarding offerings, how to handle a violation of the Sabbath, and putting
remembrance tassels on the corners of
their clothing.
Then Psalm 90 is chronologically inserted.
It is a Prayer of Moses about the Eternal God and mortal man. In the midst of
the heat of a leadership battle, Moses, whom God called the "most humble
man on earth" (Numbers 12), stopped to pray, recognize God's sovereignty,
ask for wise hearts, compassion and God's favor.
As I pondered all of these things, it
occurred to me that I was reading an instruction manual for great leadership. To
be honest, I have never before considered the first books of the Bible a
leadership manual. But God has allowed me to uncover some great rules for
leadership in these pages:
1.
Seek
God first
2.
Obey
God always
3.
Trust
God forever
4.
Leave
the consequences up to God
It is not like I did not already know and believe these things. But,
just as God instructed the Israelites in Numbers 15 to put those tassels of remembrance on their clothing, I believe we are wise when we have
our own tassels of remembrance. My kitchen window, my refrigerator, my bathroom
mirror, and the top of my desk all contain tassels.
I’m sure you can say the same. Most of us have quotes about the greatness of
God and Scriptures we want to remember strewn across our homes.
Today we live in a country where there are more and more giants in the land. But we need not fear because our God has given His marching
orders for this time. So, let us not wander in the wilderness. Let us be like
Joshua and Caleb—willing to take the land because God said “Go ye…”
Today, just like the days of exile and exodus, God continues to look for
leaders who are willing to stand for truth untainted by the politically correct
or socially acceptable atmosphere of our times. Whether you are called to the
corporate world, the domestic world, or any position in between, the world of
missions and ministry is in need of servants willing to pay the price to become
great leaders for God—those who will seek Him, obey Him, trust Him and leave
the consequences to Him!
Am I willing?
©JP 2013
Revised
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