Scripture
“Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people’”
Observation
Stephen continues his defence of charges of blasphemy that have been brought against him.
He now tells the story of Moses, how he was chosen by God but rejected by the people and forced into the desert for forty years. God spoke to him in the burning bush and commissioned him to be their ruler and saviour.
Application
Jesus was the prophet whom Moses had foretold. Moses was the greatest leader that Israel ever had, and he was closer to the Lord than anyone in history.
To say that God would raise up another prophet like him, Moses was looking forward to Jesus who was constantly in close relationship with His Father.
As followers of Jesus, we must also seek to walk closely with the Father. We do this through things like prayer, Bible reading, corporate worship, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and so on.
What I have noticed is that many of us reach a place of discipleship where we are comfortable. We might have a routine of prayer and Bible reading, a ministry in the church. We reach a place of ease so that there is no challenge to move higher.
But God is constantly calling us higher.
God’s aim is for intimacy with us, that close relationship that Jesus shared with the Father. That means stripping away everything that gets in the way.
Some of these things are not necessarily bad things. Sin obviously blocks our relationship with God. Sometimes it is things that are not of themselves sinful, but they do distract us from the main goal. They take time and energy that we should be devoting to the Lord.
What is the focal point of my life? Where does my attention go to?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the Prophet Moses foretold, but even more so. Please help me to yield to you all that stands in the way of a truly surrendered relationship. Amen.
