Lessons from a Man of God

Lenten Series 1991

February 17, 1991

Psalm 90:13 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

What are your greatest aspirations and dreams? I hope that they are built around the desire to be a man or woman of God. But if they are, you are not typical! You will not find "godliness" on the "Ten Top" lists for ambitions anywhere that I know. A "godly one," according to Psalm 50:4, is one who has made covenant by sacrifice with God. If you have trusted in the blood of the everlasting covenant, then you are one of God's people— and potentially a godly man or woman!

The world says "Give me goals that I can measure and display! Give me goals that say to the world, 'Here is a success!'" But we will do well to learn to aspire to higher goals than those we can set for ourselves! God's plans for you are better than your own! And God wants you to be a woman of God, a man of God!

Moses was called "a man of God." He wrote the words of our morning's Psalm. It is distilled wisdom. In it Moses tells us:

I. THE PSALM OF MOSES

  1. "Lord, YOU have been our dwelling place in all generations." God is HOME to the godly man or woman. Moses would teach us to think of God Himself as our HOME.

    Of course this doesn't sound "practical." God may help us with our ethics or our personal peace, or our problems. But centering our whole life in God? Really?

    Moses learned through years of living that the Presence of God Himself is the secret to wisdom. God does provide, work miracles, fight our battles; but the man or woman that simply lives with God, and does not just seek to use Him is the man or woman of God.

    But living with God is not automatic. Moses says:

  2. "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom." The godly man or woman is a teachable person, and seeks to have God Himself for the Teacher. We look at this verse and think of time management, and disciplines of business administration; and these are excellent. Moses specifically asks GOD Himself to teach him whatever skills he needs.
  3. Finally in this Psalm Moses prays "Establish our works, O Lord! Don't let us live our lives in vain!" There is that cry for immortality and for meaning. And Moses was able to get some important things done in his lifetime!

II. THE LIFE OF MOSES

Moses went through three distinct stages or periods in his life:

  1. First Moses had an ACTIVIST STAGE. For the first forty years or so of his life, Moses was a prince in the richest country of the world. In this stage Moses no doubt saw himself as a key player in any social revolution that needed to take place. His faith was chiefly in himself. And when he struck out, he struck out! He killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave— and ended up being hunted like a common murderer.
  2. Then Moses went through an ISOLATIONIST PERIOD. He dropped out, and he probably intended to stay unspotted from the world. But on the back side of an Arabian desert Moses encountered a God who wouldn't leave him alone; a God who called him by his name: "Moses!"
  3. So finally Moses came to a CONFESSIONAL FAITH IN THIS GOD: and the "man of God" era in Moses' life began in earnest. With nothing but the rod in his hand and his brother, Aaron for company, Moses went back to Egypt at God's command, and the rest is history:
    1. He led perhaps 1,000,000 Hebrew men, women and children out of the hands of the Pharaoh of Egypt.
    2. He met with God on the mountain we call Sinai, and delivered to the world the Ten Commandments.
    3. He formed the nation of Israel from this band of slaves, and delivered them to the borders of the Promised Land. Quite a life's accomplishment!
    4. Then Moses died! But before he died, Moses called all the people together. Most of them had not been around when the slaves had left Egypt. Moses gave them the Law a second time. And then Moses sang them a song. God gave this 120-year-old man a song of praise. There it is in the 31st chapter of Deuteronomy. We usually skip through it hurriedly on our way to the Book of Joshua, if we read the Old Testament at all.

But that isn't quite the end of the story of Moses, the man of God:

III. THE SONG OF MOSES

The song of Moses, curiously, is also a part of the final book of the Bible, the book we call "Apocalypse" or The Revelation. Over in one corner of the vast mural of epic struggle which is the Apocalypse is a mysterious inscription of blessing. (14:13) John writes:

And I heard a voice out of heaven saying, Write, From henceforth happy are the dead who die in the Lord: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors. Their works follow them.

And nearby, in this same corner of the gallery is a living portrayal of victorious saints -(perhaps even you and me?)- who have fought the good fight. They are standing by a sea of glass that looks as if is mixed with fire, and they have musical instruments in their hands, harps that God Himself has given them. They are singing a song. What do you suppose the song they are singing is called? It is called The Song of Moses, and of the Lamb! Do you want to hear it? Frankly, I don't know the tune! But I do have the words! It comes right out of the song Moses sang in Deuteronomy 31!

Great and marvelous are your deeds Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, And bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come And worship before you, For your righteous acts have been revealed.

Conclusion:

Moses writes: "Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom!"

Just how realistic is it to have a life-goal of being a man or woman of God? Why does that somehow sound like "preacher talk," borderline fanaticism?

No, we aren't timid about other kinds of goals. We say, "Give me goals I can measure and display. Give me achievements that say to all the world: Here is a success!"

But we will do well to learn to aspire to higher goals than those we can set for ourselves!

Moses knew the people (he spoke to just before his death) would say that being men and women of God was beyond them, too. But listen to his words (from Deuteronomy 30:11):

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it so we can obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No. the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.'

If the Bible is true then we had better be serious about letting God help us with our life's goals! And if the Bible is true, then one day we may all be taking part in a song the Apocalypse calls The Song of Moses and of the Lamb! If God is our dwelling place, when the time comes, the words and music will come along, too!

Prayer: Lord, You ARE our dwelling place! Teach us how to number OUR days that we may apply OUR hearts to wisdom. Amen.

#47 (EH) God of Grace and God of Glory