Losing arguments and finding the way

There are few people who travel throughout their entire lives knowing without a doubt why they were put on Earth. There are fewer still who go to bed lost and somehow overnight have an epiphany of purpose and direction. Typically, understanding personal mission and purpose is directly linked with the pain of discovering what you are not good at.

Rare is the one who discovers their purpose and actually musters the bravery to live it out. Wouldn't it just be easier if someone would just tell us what our mission is? Some clear sign. A burning bush, if you will.

Moses had settled into a life as a shepherd of Midian. He was a lifetime away from the days of splendor as an Egyptian. Here in Midian, life was good. Life was safe. He was married, had children, was a part of his father-in-law's business. His past life, including his crime, was behind him. By all observations life for Moses was beyond good.

Then out of the corner of his eye he sees something unbelievable off in the distance. It captures his curiosity and all of a sudden life is no longer safe. He is on the edge of living out his divine purpose. In the next few moments Moses was going to clearly be given the direction his life was to go. Many of us say we would love to have that kind of clear audible instruction. Moses did not.

Moses responded in a way that more than likely we would, too. He responded not by embracing purpose, but by trying to excuse himself from it. He spent that afternoon conversing with the Lord, not trying to understand the mission he was created for but instead trying to convince God that He was mistaken. Moses reminded God that he was a nobody. He was a person without any authority or ability to speak. God kept reminding him who He was.

Moses' response leads me to wonder that if God clearly and audibly spoke today, would we be willing to embrace what he says? Or would we be like Moses and come up with excuses attempting to convince God that he was mistaken? Most of us would rather settle for a life that is safe and known rather than one that is fully alive. Moses lost his argument with God and went back to Egypt. What argument are you trying to win?

Rob Hurtgen is a husband, father and serves as the associate pastor at the First Baptist Church in Jackson.