At a time like this, at the beginning of the year (and of course throughout one’s life), there is this constant evaluation of our short-term and long-term goals. At the beginning of the year, we check how far we have come and prepare resolutions for the New Year on how to achieve new goals. Therefore, we would assume we have life goals, and we have evaluated our goals from last year and years past, the question is – Are You Closer to Your Goals.
I have used the term “GOALS” to represent our current and future aspirations, desires, prayers, longings, visions, dreams, targets and destination, to mention but a few. Especially that which you long for that seems to change every situation in your life, and of course for good.
I would also ask, this goal your desire, is it the ultimate answer to your prayers and yearnings? Can it really solve every other problem or challenge in your life? As we tag along you would appreciate that great quote; Success is Never Ending : Failure is Never Final! From Robert Harold Schuller’s book.
This write up Is poised for our spiritual journey and guide to life experience, and we pray that we gain wisdom of heart and courage to act accordingly. Amen! I would immediately introduce a biblical allusion that woud help us understand our point of reflection for today. We are looking at the proximity to our goals; are we there yet? Have we reached, passed or on the right path? Do we really know what we are doing? Or are we just moving in circles? I present these points of reflection purely from a spiritual point of reference while navigating our human experience and I would appreciate your feedback.
We look at a biblical Character: Moses, and a multitude of persons: the Israelite Nation; their experience in Exodus. Moses, a man who was minding his business and then he was given an unbelievable task: Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go! (for want of paraphrasing). The people of Israel, in bondage and praying for freedom / salvation / help / deliverance from the Egyptians.
For a clearer understanding of this reflection, read the book of Exodus Chapter 1 to 14
It’s an interesting and beautiful read, you would thoroughly enjoy it, I promise!
There are several stories of freedom fighters in world history but none is close to that of the Israelites deliverance from Egypt. It’s simply the story of God himself as the deliverer, if you like, the freedom fighter, the saviour, the helper. Moses is just the puppet to orchestrate the action. There was need for a human leader or do we say, a human contact; Moses was the Human-Contact to effect the deliverance. God Himself Delivered the Israelites from Egypt.
Please forgive me if it appears that I have veered off the theme: are we closer to our Goal? But I must lay the foundations of this beautiful discourse, unless it would just be the reverberation of a wanna-be motivational speaker. I don’t intend to be… just be patient! It is a timeless message… so give it time.
So the story of this deliverance is dramatic, interesting and unbelievable. In fact, many modern historians or scientist, question the possibility of such occurrences. They claim that it never happened; that there are no adequate records to prove such incidence in history. Some scientist take a different turn and say that even if there was an occurrence like this it would be possible that these are stories of alien invasion and activities back in the days. Please, let’s just leave that gist of these scientist and historians for time wasters. The event of the Passover Feast by the Jews today is as a sign of the remembrance of the great occurrence. In fact, God stated that when generations come and they ask, why do we have to engage in this activity? They would be reminded of the great event of the mighty hand of God and the deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians. God is all-knowing (Omniscient) and all-wise. The feast of Passover by the Jews today is enough testimony to the exodus event. So we move…
The point we have softly proved is that the Jews had a goal and they desired freedom for hundreds of years. The story of Exodus points us to our individual activity in our success story in achieving our goals. We are convinced of the process and have done everything expected but it sometimes appears that we are not there yet. The result or goal is not yet achieved. We wait in anticipation and anxiety, hoping that what we have worked for would yield the desired fruits; but still it appears to get harder. It appears we seem to be far from our goals and we have wasted our efforts. The arm of flesh failed us! In this situation, focus on God. He is in charge, submit to Him. One more thing, remember that in the whole process, that we are just servants doing the master’s will. We must submit to the process He choses.
Moses performed all the miracles as he was directed to do, right? So why didn’t he get instant freedom from Pharaoh? Simple reason; God’s ways are not ours! But it must be understood that God’s intention (if I’m allowed to say) was not just delivering the Israelites from the Egyptians but to deliver the Israelites from themselves… who they have become, what they worship, how they perceive life, their goals and aspiration. God used the experience to reveal His wonders to the Israelites – God wanted the Israelites to know Him and submit to Him as their God.
God intends not just to deliver us from our challenges but also to deliver us from our personal and character flaws.
I once read in a reflection that, the plagues of Egypt were sent to punish not just the Egyptians but also the gods of the Egyptians. Egypt was at some point in history the centre of civilization and a world power; other nations looked up to it and perceived that their influence, prosperity and dominance was as a result of their gods. This belief or notion had to be settled. The battle line was drawn – God versus the gods of Egypt.
The Egyptians depended on their gods for prosperity, protection growth, abundance. The gods were tested and they were no where to be found when the plagues ensued.
God brought darkness — Where was their sun god?
He reddened the Nile/and killed the aquatic life — Where was their river god?
God attacked their life stock, vegetation etc — Where was there prosperity gods that gave them harvest or fruitfulness?
He attacked their skin — And please where was their god who assures them of health and beauty?
Where was the sound knowledge or wisdom of the Egyptians to unravel or solve the plagues?
The plagues were a warning to the Israelites and to the other nations of the earth, that God is God!
Finally, God took all the first born sons of the Egyptians and even of their animals; I once said that this story when replayed in one’s memory is actually too great to comprehend… it’s unbelievable. We must fear God!
At this point we must understand that while God is patiently waiting for us and seem to be delaying in our circumstance, God wants everything concerning us to bow and submit to Him. Everything we depend and hope in must bow and submit to God. This is what happened to the Egyptians; at the point at which they submitted the Israelites gained their freedom. We may say that the lesson had been learnt. Or can we?
It would be erroneous of us to think it was only the Egyptians that needed to submit. The Israelites had to submit as well; and surprisingly other nations had to fear God and submit too. God was announcing Himself, His dominion and of course His children to the world.
We are still looking at this beautiful topic of assessing how close we are to our goals. We have just looked at what may be delaying us from reaching our goals. Have we submitted our knowledge, our small gods, our intellect, our contacts, before God and depend on God alone to show us how to succeed as Moses did. If we are convinced that God is interested in our affairs and our small and big life goals, then it is expedient we allow God to direct our affairs.
We might have presented our goals, fears and worries to God but feel we are not making any head way in our goals. Have we truly submitted to God?
The second point I wish to discuss is critical of the stories of many persons. It is the near success syndrome. From our story of the Israelites above, we would have felt that after the Israelites had left Egypt all their problems were over. The point we must raise now is that – The Enemy is Never Interested in Your Total Freedom. This is why success seems to be temporary. We must never rest on our oars but keep striving until we have total success.
The Israelites had left Egypt but their minds were still in Egypt. Many people receive deliverance but their heart were never delivered from their bondage, only their body. This attitude is dangerous because we are 2 steps forward and 1 step backward. This is no sign of true progress!
On their journey out of bondage, the Israelites see the Egyptians army coming and their hearts sink in fear, desperation, hopelessness… Were the Israelites closer to their goal? Were they not in the case of “Near Success Syndrome?” They were almost fully delivered. What do you do when you find yourself in such a situation? Answer: Do what Moses did!
This is another opportunity to show your total dependency in God. The enemy cannot win! He who submits to God cannot submit to his enemy! This dependency on God moved God to empower Moses; why you dey gbon? Wetin de make you fear? (paraphrasing in my local dialect) The Egyptians you see …. you see no more! God gave his assurance and it was settled. It was like, ok now, let’s put this problem of the Egyptians behind you once and for all. This is what many of us want to hear… the challenges we face that keep rearing their unwanted face … we need to put an end to them. So God reminds Moses that he has been given the authority… open the sea!
At this point, we must be reminded that we have been given the authority to trample on lions and poisonous snakes… How true is this? How much do we believe this? He has given us power to become children of God. What does this mean? We are reminded that if we believe, that anything we ask of the Father in the name of Jesus, shall we receive. These are strong instructions and promises. The word of God reminds us that the promises of the Lord are forever sure… (Psalm 12:6) they are tested and trusted.
He who submits to God cannot submit to his enemy!
At this point, I would ask, are we closer to our goals? If we aren’t, are we on the right path? The insistence of this reflection is for us to have a better mindset towards achieving help for our ultimate goal in life. At every point in life we desire some form of help. We seek salvation! The goals we seek to achieve are nothing if they are not submitting to God. And submitting to God (and the will of God) is the surest way to achieve our goal and attain fulfillment in life. Everyone is a Moses in this life one way or the other; attaining a goal for self or for others; and must learn to submit. Are you closer to your goal? Are you learning to submit?
The goal for every sane human being is to have fulfilment in life and peace. The definition of fulfilment is different for each person, but it is only God who can perfectly satisfy everyone’s intention. This fulfilment and peace comes when we submit to God. At the end of this year, whether we achieve our goal or not, can we claim to have any measure of fulfilment. I must leave you with this truism: the ultimate goal is that we are closer to God, living or dead! Why not submit now and be closer to this ultimate goal.
May God help us to achieve our goals! May our submission to God give us the deliverance, fulfillment and peace we desire! In the name of Jesus. Amen!