2020. The year God shook the earth. The year God is showing up visibly in power and sovereignty. Shaking the world’s paradigms. Shaking the culture’s foundations. God is always here but there are seasons He moves throughout the whole earth doing a supernatural awakening and He’s stirring something. Stirring purity again. Provoking us to Himself and ushering new change. Wiping out corruption. Opening eyes to see Him as the only God.

I see God making Himself known to the world here in 2020.

I see God stepping into the world to rescue His people.

When God shows up, the world cannot help but react.

It first stirs uproar and chaos from the interaction of holy and unholy colliding. But then it forces an inevitable response of change because of God initiating something supernatural in the atmosphere.

We’ve seen kindness and unity growing from the Coronavirus pandemic.

We’re seeing injustices rooted out and much-needed change ensuing from the Black Lives Matter movement gaining support all over the world.

God is fighting for people.

Renewing dignity and worth.

It’s God who’s initiating change.

It’s not ordinary. It’s not random and it’s not coincidence that we’re seeing the change we’re seeing. It’s God. Prayer and supplication moves His heart… and so does His people’s cry.

It’s a season like those I read in the Old Testament where God says “I have heard the cry of my people” and He avenges them… overthrows their oppressors and delivers. God allows the devil to reign on the earth and we see the evidence of that curse but there are also times when God says I’ve had enough! And He swoops in mightily to put an end to oppression.

Oppression is repulsive to God.

When oppressions persists against His people, there comes a point where God dives in to deliver.

I’m reminded of Exodus chapter 3 when God finds Moses and sends Him to Egypt to rescue Israel.

This passage speaks of the Lord’s rescuing heart and mighty warrior valor. I love this. 😊

Here in verses 2-3 of chapter 3, Moses is tending His father in-law’s flock out in the desert. Then he notices a bush lighting on fire… out of the ordinary… holy and unholy collide… his normal daily routine jolted…

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.  And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” Exodus 3:2-3

When we are aware of our surroundings, we can see what God is doing in our midst.

I love how Moses turns to look at the sight. Something out of the ordinary is taking place… a bush is aflame in the dry desert yet not burnt up… It doesn’t make sense… and he’s curious…

fireflies of peach

at evening’s dusk

aflame like sparkles of blood

on a moonless night

coming closer

I find

its a light

that never dies

Curiosity to who God is opens our eyes and hearts to receive what God would say.

Just imagine if Moses refused to turn around, how he would have missed the moment to hear from God and see this miracle taking place before Him.

“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Exodus 3:4

Notice the verse says “when the Lord saw that he turned…. God called to him…”. God only speaks to Moses because Moses turned to look. God is watching to see if we take notice of Him when He appears. So that He can continue that interaction.

If you want God to speak to you, turn to look at Him when He shows up.

How do you know when God shows up? Be aware of God all the time. Be alert to whatever is going on in your surroundings and see how He is present in that… God Himself will speak to your heart and make Himself known.

I find that Jesus on my mind all throughout the day. I think about Him. I talk to Him. I hear from Him. It’s an ever-present organic relationship of constantly being connected to God. And it fosters communication and love.

Moses hears from the Lord because He is receptive to hearing from Him. Moses says, “Here I am.” Although He doesn’t fully understand why this bush is burning when it should be scorched and He doesn’t know what God will ask Him… He says I’m here Lord. I want to hear from You. I love Moses’ heart. He’s so willing and so gentle yet brave to come close to God in this moment.

Right now, we see the Lord moving in so many ways in the world. And we will know what God says is the next step when we posture ourselves to hear from Him.

God says to Moses, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

Before we can hear more from God, we need to understand who we’re talking to.

God is holy.

There is no impurity in Him.

Hearing from God depends on our understanding of His holiness and our yielding to that standard of holiness.

Moses takes off his sandals.

He agrees that God is holy and he will obey anything he needs to in order to align with that. And it teaches Moses that as a leader, He is not to do anything that undermines that holiness.

Godly leadership requires us to live according to God’s standard of holiness when we represent His presence.

This is not a pressure. It’s rather an empowerment. Like a supernatural strength. We gain victory over the territories we walk into when we operate according to God’s mandates of holiness instead of human, corrupt standards. Corrupt standards don’t save people, it only confuses people. If we represent God, we live according to that. And He gives you everything you need to do that: It’s in simply obeying what He says to do. Regardless of what it looks like. Just as Moses did. God says, I need you to respect the holiness of who I am.

One of the reasons oppression persists is when authorities whom we should be able to trust end up operating from a lack of God’s standards of holiness. And end up harming when they made a commitment to protect.

Police brutality, oppression in the workplace, government corruption, faulty laws… I’m not surprised because that is the brokenness we live in. However I am grieved just as God is. God demands holiness and nothing less. He does not give leaders the freedom to abuse their authority under the guise of responsibility. I see it goes both ways however. Leadership is hard in a world where the people don’t always appreciate goodness nor purity.

It reminds me of a quote from the movie Black Panther.

T’Challa’s father is talking to him in a dream and he tells him, “You are a good man. And it’s hard for a good man to be king.”

Leaders who strive to do the right thing can face resistance from people when the people seek corrupt wishes and don’t want to be led by pure values. You also have to make tough decisions that some do not like. The people may want one thing although you know God saying something else is actually the best thing. Our world is corrupt and if you walk in goodness, you will face persecution. Thus, I think it’s important we respect our leaders and understand they carry a weight and burden we are not carrying. We must trust their leadership. For the ones not walking in goodness, God will avenge that just as we are seeing.

It is possible to lead with goodness if we root ourselves in what God says instead of what people say.

Do what God wants instead of what the people want. Then you will fulfill both. Jesus exemplifies the perfect example of a good man who is also a good King and sought that end even unto death. Because He listened to the Father and carried out His requests. And He fulfilled His mission.

Leadership is a sacred undertaking that we cannot take lightly.

Leadership only flourishes purely when we understand God’s holiness and operate according to that standard. We are human so we must continually yield ourselves to the Lord.

Here in Exodus chapter 3, God makes it clear that His holiness being understood is the prerequisite for Moses’ leadership. 

Moses needs to know God is more holy than Pharaoh.

And He won’t forget it after this encounter.

Without knowing God is the only Holy One, Moses would have no confidence in God’s power to overpower Pharaoh. Because Pharaoh is asserting himself as the god over all and since Moses was born into that culture after being rescued from the rivers, he knows this. But now He can walk into Egypt without fear of Pharaoh’s threats.

Moses gains confidence from knowing who God is. A confidence that will propel him forward to go head to head with Pharaoh and not be moved by him.

When we understand God is holy and above every power, we gain confidence over everything that comes against us.

Now Moses is ready to hear what God will say to Him…

God says to Moses, “The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” Exodus 3:7

you saw the harm

that touched your bride

your eyes

that died

as our hearts cried to You

up from the throne

Your feet they moved

to run to us

shred death in two

God is aware of the oppressors who come against you.

Right now, God is fighting for the ones who have been oppressed for far too long by systemic racism and injustice. God heard… He has seen… and He is answering.

It started with the Coronavirus and to me, I see the Lord used that to soften hearts for human dignity and it’s made us more aware of one another. Now with the death of George Floyd, people’s hearts were ready to be enflamed with a united voice to advocate for their fellow brothers and sisters. And the Lord has stirred a recognition of racism embedded in our society. He’s opening eyes. People are recognizing it.

God is provoking a unified cry for justice as the whole world is now advocating for people of color and systemic racism to be eradicated.

This movement is now gaining worldwide attention and support is making change in laws and systems right now as we speak. That kind of worldwide move can only happen from God. Laws, rules and mandates that oppress people of color are being rewritten and pushed for change. Statues are being removed of thse who supported slavery. Sports are joining in on changes they can make to remove systemic prejudice. I just saw that Nascar now banned the rebel flag (a flag that coincides with slavery and racism in the south) from events.

The waves of change rippling through the world are being used by the Lord for good of His people.

Its important to highlight that is the agent of change is: Jesus.

Jesus is the One changing things. And we follow suit. Because without Him, we have no capacity to change – that only comes from a supernatural new heart, life and mind that Jesus gives to the person who is reborn into eternal life. (Romans 12:2 & John 3:1-21).

When we are connected to Jesus in relationship, our prayer and advocation moves His heart.

Ever since the Coronavirus He has been stirring something in the earth right now, a burning bush if you will, and people are responding.

We respond by saying yes Lord.

We want to take off our sandals for we are on holy ground.

We want to change to align with what You say is good.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

Have Your way, Lord.

Let holiness collide with the earth and remove all impurities from us.

We don’t want to react in vengeance and retaliation. It only cultivates a heart of bitterness. But we do want to speak out. Pray. Gather and peacefully protest. Advocate real changes. Make our voices known and support our fellow brothers and sisters, giving honor to one another just as the Lord gives us.

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

1 Peter 3:8

Moses was united with the Lord in mind, was sympathetic towards the Israelites plight because he was one of them, exemplified love and tenderness in how he loved his family and tended the sheep, and was humble before the Lord even to the point of not feeling worthy of the calling to go to Pharaoh. But God chooses Moses to advocate for the Israelites before Pharaoh and deliver them.

“But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11

No matter what Moses feels about Himself, God believes in Him.

The Lord sees Moses as the perfect one to deliver them.

God said to Moses, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:11-12

When God is with you, you have all you need to be victorious.

Did you know God believes in you?

He does. ❤️

God sees your potential and He calls you to join in Him as He rescues and loves His people. He says you are able and strong. He says you are competent and have everything you need to accomplish what He sends you to do.

With everything going on in the world right now, let God show you how you can make a difference.

When you feel unworthy, ask God what He says about you and He will tell you that you are loved and chosen by Him every time. ❤️

For God is the One who will be with you.

Moses will go on to deliver the Israelites from slavery. It comes with many obstacles and continual reliance on God, but God carries out exactly what He said He would. God fights for His people to deliver them from their oppressors because He values that.

God wants to deliver His people.

He will not let us be oppressed forever.

What we learn from this story is that God cares about the oppressed and He acts on their behalf.

Jesus continued this mission when He dove into the earth below from the Heavens to advocate for our salvation and save us from death forever. And He is still deploying rescue missions throughout the earth to save His people who call upon His name.

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

God will always be the one to advocate for us and we don’t have to fear that He is turning a blind eye to our suffering. God knows what to do.

No matter what connotations may surface around the Black Lives Matter movement, God cares about this plight at the heart and soul of it: that people of color are equal in personhood and dignity. He created us after all… He cares about His people.

God made man in His own image so He Himself embodies every color we see in the human race.

To disrespect someone because of their race or color is to disrespect God.

God knew the potential for racism that would ensue if he chose to make us all different. And He still created us this way. I wonder why…

Why did you make us all different colors if it only gave the devil more room to divide us? God said… I won’t change who I am.

God’s image is multicolored and multifaceted. He cannot change this in order to prevent the devil from assaulting us. It’s the devil who tries to pit black vs white. Culture vs culture. It was never God’s intent. It was never a perfect human tendency. It’s rather an evil tendency that was planted by the devil to destroy human unity. And one day God will remove that curse and will see the full glory of God’s image reflected in the many colors.

I see that. I love seeing many different colors of people. It’s more beautiful that way. We see God that way. ❤️

Heaven will be glorious and we will see the full radiance of this multicolored diadem called the people of God.

And right now He is bringing more of the kingdom of Heaven to earth.

I’m reminded God fights our battles on His own and we don’t have to advocate for ourselves. The Israelites didn’t go before Pharoah to get deliverance, they cried out to God. And then God send a deliverer to go before Pharaoh on their behalf.

Sometimes we want to fight for our own battles and defend ourselves, but we cannot prevail that way. You only prevail when God delivers you in His own way. When He fights for you.

That’s why God gives 2 instructions regarding how to handle oppressors: our response and His response.

1. Our response: love and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:38-48).
2. God’s response: Avenge and repays the sin done against you (Deuteronomy 32:35, Psalm 110:1, Psalm 23).

In other words, believe God will avenge you and fight for you so that you don’t have to… and you can love and pray for oppressors so that God might change their heart to new life also.

We must genuinely seek the betterment of the oppressor if we want godly justice. If you want punishment for your oppressor, the Bible says you are sinning against God. Those who show mercy will be given mercy and those who make peace will be deemed sons of God (Matthew 5:7 & 9).

I find comfort knowing God will fight my battles and I don’t have to.

I find myself falling even more in love with God as I watch Him fight for my brothers and sisters who have been oppressed by injustice for so long, knowing He is that powerful. He is so fierce and valiant. 😊 And He takes care of us.

When God shows up… He appeals all attention.

I love it when God shows up… Nothing eclipses Him. I feel Him in the sunlight foreshadowing the blazing fire of His eyes. I see Him in the preciousness of a people He made to look like Him. I taste Him in the hurricane of oxygen and water raining from the heavens. He’s always here… always with us. I love this seasons where God shows up in power and might. The world stops spinning on it’s axis and mountains glimpse the angel armies layering in the spirit. Oceans behold the shocking revelation of God entering into the world to interact with man.

Come back for us Lord… keep saving us everyday. ❤️ 

I heard a song lately from Lauren Daigle that says, “You’re still rolling stones…” and I think that’s poignant of this time. God is still in the business of rolling away stones. God, roll away stones… stones that have emtombed goodness from breaking through to the world. Roll away the stones of opporession. Roll away the stones of corrupt authority. Roll away the stones of unbelief. Roll away the stones of animosity and let the light break in. Let Your love break in. Let Your holiness break in. Let Your truth break in. For if there is going to be a war, it’s a holy war not a people war. You love Your people. And you will slay demons to save us. ❤️ You are beautiful, Jesus.

Questions for Today:

1. How does Moses respond to the burning bush?
2. What is the significance of God asking Moses to remove His sandals?
3. What is our response and God’s response to oppression?
4. How do we see justice God’s way?
5. How do you see God moving in the world right now to fight for His people?
6. Why is Jesus the only One who creates lasting change?