Pastor Bill's musings

I've always thought that one of the most exciting encounters recorded in Scripture had to be Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. Exodus chapter three and four tell us the story. As Moses was busy doing what sheep herders do he was puzzled by the sight of a fire that did not consume the bush it was feeding on. The strange incident caused Moses to go over to inspect the spot and as he did God called to him from within the bush. Fear gripped his heart...until he heard God tell him he had come in answer to HIS prayers. Excitement mounted higher and higher as God told him He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt, He had heard their cries and He had come down to rescue them out of the oppressive hands of their Egyptian task masters.

Suddenly that excitement turned to despair as God told him that he, Moses was the chosen person to bring about that deliverance. His first response was, "Who am I?" Then, "What if they won't hear me?" The panic in Moses heart continued to grow as he thought of the impossibility of doing what God had called him to do. Chapter four begins with God asking Moses what he had in his hand... A shepherd's staff was his reply. God commanded him to throw it on the ground and when he did it became a snake. At God's command he picked it up and it again became a staff. But a transition had taken place in Moses' thinking. It was no longer his staff it was the staff of God. And when he left Midian to return to Egypt verse 20 of chapter four tells us that Moses took the staff of God with him.

There are times in our Christian experience when we are asked by God to be involved in doing the impossible. Naturally it is impossible.... but that is where a Supernatural God comes in. In our strength we cannot do 'it.' But through our walk of obedience to Him, even when it seems impossible He is there to do what we cannot do.

Our church, the International Christian Assembly, has been called to do the impossible... to build a beautiful new church in Lilongwe that will be a lighthouse of His grace and love to, not only the people of Lilongwe but all of Malawi and beyond to the ends of the earth. A mission center where people of all nations can come and be blessed, so they can go out and be a blessing.

I'm excited to be a part of this great venture and I can hardly wait to see how God does it!