Saturday, October 18, 2008

Which cartoon character are you???


Several years back I gave Chris a stuffed Tiger, he thought it was strange but cute. This morning Tiger caught my eye and I remembered why I'd given it to him - he's very Tiger like. Bouncy bouncy bouncy and so much fun!

Seeing Tigger prompted me to ask him which character represented me to him. Without hesitation he said "Tweety bird".

Why?? He said because I flit around, yellow - I'm happy, and most importantly oblivious - in that I have no idea how much power and authority I've been given, that I take for granted the ability to fly.

That hit me anew, not because I hadn't heard it before, but because it tied into my study of Exodus 14.

If you remember, Moses finally gets permission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to worship God. Pharaoh wakes up, realizes what he's done, gathers his entire army and heads out after them. The Israelites see Pharaoh and his army, take their eyes off of God, manifesting right before their eyes as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and start whinning to Moses that he's lead them out into the desert to die - living as slaves in Egypt would be preferable to death. From the text (note that this is from the Complete Jewish version, the blue is the text the black are my comments):
[13] Moshe answered the people,
“Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today — today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again!
[14] ADONAI will do battle for you.
Just calm yourselves down!”
It really struck me that our only responsibility is to calm down, steady ourselves, watch what God will do on our behalf for His glory, and we won't need to worry about the situation again. Then Moses turns to God, and God says
[15] “Why are you crying to me?
In essence, God reminds Moses what he already knows "I have given you the authority and the ability to overcome this obstacle that looks so big in your eyes. Lift up your hand and use it. Take action."
Tell the people of Isra’el to go forward! Advance. [16] Lift your staff, Take up your authority. reach out with your hand over the sea, and divide it in two.The people of Isra’el will advance into the sea on dry ground. You think there are no solutions but there is one, it may seem impossible but it is right before you. Move forward.
[17] As for me, I will make the Egyptians hardhearted; and they will march in after them; thus I will win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and cavalry. [18] Then the Egyptians will realize that I am ADONAI, when I have won myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots and his cavalry.”
And God follows through with His promise - He shows the Israelites and the Egyptians who is God.


So how does that tie into Tweety??? I was reminded to walk in the power and authority that I have been given. Yet at times that power and authority are so natural to me that I don't realize I have them, or that I am or aren't walking in them. And that has lead to a whole lot more thinking...





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