Unlikely Alliances

Have you ever connected with someone and knew that the connection was a "God thing?" You knew there was no way your paths would have otherwise crossed ... the two of you were as different as night and day ... absolutely out of the ordinary ... too good to be true.  Have you needed a door open and you were miraculously connected to the door opener? Have you recognized the supernatural at work in your life?  Do you know there are no chance occurrences?  Do you realize that good days are really God days?  So, too are bad days.

I've learned that the organizational structure used in government, business, corporate, non-profits, churches, military, schools and colleges around the world started with wise counsel and advice within an unlikely alliance, an out of the ordinary relationship. Two men met, fast forward more than 40 years later, and find the older man, Jethro, giving counsel to his younger son-in-law, 80+ year old Moses. Jethro witnessed Moses serving as the one and only judge to the people. In turn, he informed his son-in-law that what he was doing wasn't good, and that he and the people would only wear themselves out.

The wise counsel that has stood the test of time was for Moses to select capable persons, train them, and appoint them as leaders/judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens (see Exodus 18, Deuteronomy 1). In your mind’s eye, see the picture of the organizational structure -- the pyramid or triangular shape. See the managers and supervisors, first line, second line, third line.  At the top is the one head. This unlikely alliance -- Moses, born to Hebrew parents, raised as a prince of Egypt, running away from Egypt and running into the priest of Midian who became his employer and later his father-in-law. Can you see God not only ordering their footsteps then but our steps today as well?  Unusual? Out of the ordinary? Unlikely? Supernatural?

The Living Dead

Today's society paints vivid pictures for us of the living dead. Maybe you follow or have seen the tv series, The Walking Dead, which earlier this year completed its fifth season and has been renewed for a sixth. There are two comic book series, The Walking Dead and Talking Dead.  Then there's the 1968 horror film, Night of the Living Dead.  Can't leave out the 1965 rock band, the Grateful Dead, which lives on. Get the picture, know that your children are even if you are not.

Jesus described one of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 as having a reputation of being alive but was, in reality, dead (see Revelation 3:1).  Do you have a reputation of being alive but, in reality, you are dead?  Are you like the prodigal son who left home and squandered all his earthly possessions on wild living -- freestyle sex, gambling, alcohol and drugs, and more? Upon his return home, his father described him as having been dead.  Or, are you like the woman, that Paul described to Timothy, who lived for pleasure and was dead even while she lived? 

Have you chosen to live life self-focused -- self-indulgent ... selfish ... self-seeking ... self-absorbed ... self-loved ... self-centered ... self-conscious ... self-determined ... self-gratified ... self-important ... self-reliant ... self-serving ...self-willed -- get the picture?  Will you concentrate on self and remain gratefully dead? Or, will you do as Jesus commanded, deny yourself (see Luke 9:23)?  Don't be among the walking dead. Choose not to be among the living dead?  Rather, choose life, life more abundantly, life to the full, life in Jesus (see John 10:10).