Partnership
Image: Paramount Pictures/Trailer image via YouTube
https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/04/the-undying-glory-of-the-ten-commandments/
This week on the 14 February it’s Valentine’s Day. The day for celebrating love with chocolates, flowers and cards.
Many years ago, when I was going out with the woman who would become my wife, I treated her to a visit to the cinema.
Once a week the local multiplex screened ‘classic’ movies and on this romantic occasion we went to see The Ten Commandments, made in 1956 starring Charlton Heston as Moses and directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
The special effects were ground-breaking for its time, winning them an Academy Award. It was also very successful financially, the highest-grossing film of 1956.
The film has a running time of 220 minutes (that’s nearly four hours) and fortunately there was an interval. I remember the occasion as we were the only two in the theatre!
I think it does a wonderful job in telling the story of Moses’ life and of oppressed Israel leaving Egypt under God’s mighty hand, recorded in the book of Exodus in the Bible.
Moses had grown up as a Prince of Egypt, having been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, but he had fled after murdering someone. Years later, whilst in a foreign land, Moses had an encounter with God…
“The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…
So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.””
During this conversation, God revealed who He was to Moses and His heart of compassion for the Israelites, as they suffered as slaves in Egypt. What happened next is fascinating…
God said that He was going to get involved and deliver them. Then He commanded Moses to go back to Egypt to lead the Israelites to freedom.
In other words, God’s involvement in rescuing Isreal was to partner with Moses! Did God really need to work through Moses? I don’t think so. He could have done it without him.
However, God chose Moses, who at that time doubted himself and really didn’t want to get involved. Moses was obedient and became a great leader and mighty man of God.
I believe that God still works this way today. He is still concerned with the wrongs that are in this world, and he still wants to partner with people like you and me to bring about change.
I wonder what God wants to partner with you?
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader