THE DESERT OF SELF EXILE AND PUNISHMENT

Acts 7:30a "After forty years had passed…"

Have you ever wondered what Moses was thinking about over those 40 years? 40 years is half a lifetime, and the years we're talking about typically represent a man's most productive years, yet Moses remained in the desert. Look at where Moses had been, he was the son (adopted) of Pharaoh's daughter, who had killed an Egyptian in defense of a Hebrew worker -- and he had run away -- fearing for his life.

We know in our time the privilege and leniency displayed to those who have position and power. Egypt was no exception. Had Moses been willing to go back to Pharaoh's household (with a reasonable explanation of the circumstances), chances are pretty good his life would have gone back to normal. But Moses had answered the call of God (though in the wrong way), and he knew that he could never go back to his old life. Yet he also thought he had wasted or misunderstood his purpose -- the one God had given him.

So what did Moses do? He imposed upon himself self-exile (he went to a foreign land and took a foreign wife -- verse 29), and began his time of self punishment. When you self-exile yourself and are consumed with self-punishment and regret -- do you hear God? I don't think so -- I certainly don't. If you are focused on yourself you can't see God, you only see yourself -- and in most cases, you won't like what you see.

If you were Moses friend, had been with him from the good times to the bad times, what advice would you give him when he was in the desert? What would you tell him to do in order to get back in the game? Have you ever felt that you just needed to be punished for something you did or didn't do? Have you taken it upon yourself the responsibility to punish, instead of leaving it to God? Is it time to stop? What can you do to bring your self-exile to an end?

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