Living in the Hidden Moments

My husband Peter and I recently had a fun double feature experience where we watched two movies based on the book of Exodus back-to-back on the big screen. First, a church near us showed The 10 Commandments in honor of the movie's 70th anniversary. Then that same weekend we caught a re-release of The Prince of Egypt in theatres.

I found myself invested in imagining what the life of Moses must have really been like. Since films compress an entire storyline into a couple hours, however, there were a few pieces of the puzzle that got a little glazed over.

For example, after Moses killed the Egyptian and escaped to Midian, each movie made it seem as though only a handful of years passed before he encountered God in a burning bush. But the scriptures tell us that this time in the deserts of Midian was much more drawn out and ultimately numbered around 40 years.

For all those years, Moses lived in the wilderness with his wife and her family, tending sheep. I can't help but wonder what those unseen decades - vacant even from movie adaptations - held for him.

Did Moses ever catch himself thinking about his past life in Egypt? Did he miss the family he'd been raised in? Did he ever question or doubt God?

At that time in history, the Israelites had been waiting for God to answer their prayers for freedom for generations. I wonder if Moses also wrestled with God's silence during his forty years in Midian.

Yet there's no doubt, when we review Moses' story, that the Lord's presence was within every detail, even if His voice wasn't heard.

It is apparent that the hand of the Lord held Moses safe within his basket when his mother released it upon the Nile.

We know it was God who caused Moses' basket to float to exactly the right spot where Pharaoh's daughter could find and rescue him. This allowed Moses to be safe from the ongoing infanticide of the time, and perfectly positioned him to grow up within the palace of Pharaoh himself.

God was with Moses all throughout his story. But there came one specific day which would become permanently memorialized. As Moses tended his flock in Midian, God's presence began to burn within a nearby bush. The Lord spoke, saying He had heard the cries of His people and would soon liberate them from their chains.

Why do I share all of this? Well, it has occurred to me that there is something we can all relate to within Moses' story.

Often in our lives we are quick to commemorate the burning bush moments where God's presence is seen on full display. But as we just saw from the life of Moses, God is often in the hidden background details of the story as well.

His presence may not have tangibly been felt until the burning bush moment, but in every scene His hand was constantly guiding Moses' life, positioning him for his purpose, and bringing about liberation for the children of Israel.

I wonder in which scene of the Moses story you find yourself today. Are you out upon deep waters, simply praying to survive? Are you hidden in the shadows of a secular enterprise, seeking to exemplify God through your work each day? Or are you out in the field, obscure in your service, wondering if God sees you at all?

Whether you find yourself in one of these scenes today, or another one besides, I want to remind you that the Lord sees you.

Everything our Father does is to bring about his best for his children. The moment that you're standing in today could be setting up an entire people group for deliverance. I encourage you to stay the course. Keep your ears open to hear His voice, and be faithful with whatever is in your hands while you wait. The Lord often does some of His best work behind the scenes.