Wednesday, April 20: Exodus 33- Mentoring in the faith.

I found myself wondering about Joshua, Moses’ aid and junior associate. Verse 11 caught my attention, the only mention of Joshua in the chapter.

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

It seems that unless he was out on an assignment where Moses went, Joshua went. The verse above also indicates that Joshua accompanied Moses into the tent of meeting where Moses met and spoke with the Lord.

What caught my eye was the comment that when Moses left the tent to return to the camp, his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. The ‘did not leave’ seems to say that Joshua was there in the tent with Moses.

Did Joshua observe or listen in on Moses’ conversations with the Lord? I pondered this. If Joshua did, he gained a unique understanding of Moses. He heard the conversations between Moses and God, thus he knew precisely what God said. He then got to watch and observe Moses as he took God’s Words and brought them to the people. What a lesson of integrity that would have been! The views into Moses’ heart would have been extraordinary.

·         He would have heard Moses’ complaints to the Lord about the people and God’s responses.

·         He would have heard Moses’ arguments with the Lord on behalf of the people.

·         He would have watched and listened to how faithfully Moses conveyed God’s Words to the people.

·         He would know when and if Moses cut corners and his humanity and sinfulness prevailed.

·         If he saw all this, Joshua was never the source of a leak; he never once spoke of it!

It is little wonder that Joshua will eventually replace Moses as leader of Israel. He had shown himself faithful in many ways. He never disobeyed an order or discussed private details of God’s and Moses’ conversations. Plus he got to observe how a person connects and communicates with the Lord faithfully and honorably.

I began to think about the different people who have mentored me in my walk with Jesus, directly and indirectly. What a gift they have been… how much I have learned from them.

Next I wondered if I am faithfully mentoring others in their walk with the Lord. Hmmm...

Lord Jesus, Father and Spirit, thank You for every mentor You have brought into my life. Those who have lingered for years and those who have only walked with me a brief time. Each of these have helped form me into a disciple of Yours.

Please bless these people. Make Your face to shine upon them and give them Your peace.

I also ask and pray that I may be an apt mentor to others. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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