Winter 1998
Looking Beyond Failure
By Wade E. Taylor

"And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose." Rom 8:28.

This does not say that all things are good, but that even terrible things can work together to produce "good." This good is not the "things" in themselves, but rather, that the image of our Lord Jesus Christ is being wrought into our being.

If we rightly understand this, then it can be said that it is possible for us to be in the will of God, while being out of the will of God. This can only happen if our heart is unconditionally set towards the Lord. Then the Lord is released to use these "things" as a means to bring us into the very center of His perfect will and purpose.

This principle can be seen in the life of Moses.

"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro
his father in law, the priest of
Midian." Exodus 3:1a.

Moses knew that he was called to deliver his people, Israel. In his attempt to fulfill this calling, He failed and fled.

"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the
Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
And when he was full forty years old, it came
into his heart to visit his brethren the children
of Israel.”

"And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended
him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote
the Egyptian. For he supposed his brethren would
have understood how that God by his hand would
deliver them: but they understood not.”

"Then fled Moses at this saying." Acts 7:22-29a.

Here, Moses is "ministering" in the wrong place to the wrong people - Jethro's sheep. Most of us probably feel that we are in the right place, doing the right thing. However, some of us may be going through an experience in which we somehow feel "out of place."

Moses clearly fits in the second group. However, he was not feeling sorry for himself, nor was he sitting and doing nothing. The original vision was still alive within him, and he was doing the best he could with what was available to him.

Moses was called to the "sheep" of Israel, but instead, he was faithfully leading the "sheep" of the priest of Midian toward the mountain of God. This moved the heart of the Lord, who made an arrangement (a burning bush) wherein He could meet with Moses. Thus, all this had "worked together" for good. Moses was brought to the end of his ability, which prepared him for his meeting with the Lord.

The Lord revealed Himself to Moses in a flame of fire. Thus the bush burned, but was not consumed. It can be said that it is yet burning and available to us - if our attitude is as Moses' was, and we become willing to turn aside into the Lord's manifested presence.

It would have been easier for Moses to remain in the wilderness with these sheep than to go back and face his past failure. There was no one in the wilderness to criticize what he was doing, and Jethro's "sheep" were obviously much more cooperative and appreciative, than the "flock" of Israel had been.

However, the intention of the Lord is always to prepare us, not only to succeed where we had failed, but also to go further. Therefore, the Lord told Moses that he was to go back and face Pharaoh, and bring deliverance to the very people from whom he had fled.

Because the Lord did not expect Moses to accomplish this in his own strength, as He had before attempted, he was instructed to take off his shoes. Moses had walked as far as he could go in his own strength and ability. Now he would walk in the Lord's shoes and strength.

This intervention did not take place until Moses had come to the full end of his ability, and was willing to turn aside as an acknowledgement of his need.

"And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this
great sight, why the bush is not burnt." Exodus 3:3.

According to modern religious thought, the burning bush should have been in front of Moses. Rather it was off to the side, and required an action on his part.

This concept of "turning" is very close to the heart of the Lord, who greatly desires that we both notice and respond to His presence. This ability does not come easily or quickly. It requires a coming to the end of our ways, and time to develop a sensitivity to the spiritual realm. If need be, the Lord has some special "sheep" who will help accomplish this.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the Kingdom of Heaven." Matt 5:3.

This means that we have become so absolutely destitute concerning any ability we may have, that we become willing to turn aside. Only then can we partake of the provision of the Kingdom.

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall
be comforted." Matt 5:4.

When we become seemingly stranded in the wilderness, where none of our "giftings" are able to function, we will mourn. We cannot help it, but the Lord understands and will comfort us.

This "comfort" will result from the impartation that we receive from the "burning bush" of His presence, by which we receive the enabling grace of His ability in exchange for the loss of our abilities.

"Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the
earth." Matt 5:5.

Only now can we face and overcome the Pharaoh's - those things that actively hinder us from fulfilling the call of God upon our lives.

Moses was going toward the mountain of God, but this was not enough. Something more was required of him. Therefore, it is tremendously important that we recognize the value of the presence of the Lord and become willing to turn aside.

In 1958, during a very profound visitation from the Lord, I stepped into a "pillar" of the manifest presence of the Lord, and my life was forever changed. The Lord's very presence was "burned" into my being, and I was never again the same.

If we become willing to turn aside and stand in the presence of this "bush" that yet burns, and receive the impartation that is available to us, this world will yet be turned to the Lord.