My Man, Moses!

I wrote the blog post below in 2008, but the awesome Deanna Shrodes over at Adoptee Restoration reminded me of it today. 

"The Prince of Egypt" movie truly hit home for me ~ Moses' search and freedom ~ both his and his people. 

I'm in an awesome Women's Bible Study at my church.  We're studying "A Woman's Heart" by Beth Moore. Yesterday we learned about Moses (his name means "drawn out") and how God protected and defended him throughout his life. The little basket that was used to save his life was a symbol of the "ark" of God's salvation (sozo ~ to save, deliver, protect, heal, and preserve). The Bible says it was "pitched, within and without". This was a black tarry substance used to make the basket waterproof against the torrents of the water during Moses' trip down the river. The word used for "pitch" (Kapher) actually translates "atonement" or "covering" 69 times in the O.T. On the outside, it looked like Moses was enveloped in a sticky, dark, smelly mess ~ but that "mess" became a symbol of God's love and protection, even from infancy, for a lifetime.

As we all know, Moses was separated from his natural family and raised by Pharoah's daughter. He grew up an Egyptian, yet the blood coursing through his veins was Jewish. What comforts me so much about reading about Moses' awesome life, is that God's restoration was so complete and intimate for Moses. He was the one God chose to lead the Isrealites out of slavehood bondage, and in that process, Moses found freedom himself. So much so, that he had to veil his face because it shined so brightly after spending time with God ~ He reflected God's GLORY and walked with God on an intimate basis! In fact, when Moses died, God HIMSELF buried him. God LOVED Moses that much.
That just totally blesses me! Why? Because Moses was NOT a GRATEFUL ADOPTEE!

Moses actually left his adoptive family, searched for & reunited with his natural family and people.  Yes, Moses was a rebel.  He's the one who went before Pharaoh saying "Let My People Go", not just once, but multiple times. He would have never won a popularity contest, within either family, actually. Yet, he was instrumental in the plan of history to bring freedom and deliverance to an entire populace. And even more precious than that, is the RELATIONSHIPS he was brave enough to embrace, and the INTIMACY that grew with his Creator.

Moses chose authenticity and relationship ~ through the "exodus", the wilderness, and the fierce waters of the Red Sea. Adoptees have the enormous developmental task of finding their identity ~ that COULD actually be compared to walking down the MIDDLE of a parting sea of emotions that easily feels like mammoth, impending killer waves. Moses needed support to hold his hands up during that journey. He couldn't go it alone, that's for sure. And that's how much faith it takes to walk the path of authenticity ~ so many choose never to go there. But Moses was a HEROIC example of an authentic adoptee.

At the end of his life, I bet he could have very well called himself "grateful" and "adoptee", but those words, by necessity of an authentic life, don't really fit together. Just like Joseph, who was another Biblical character separated from his natural family as a child, and later reunited. Moses would have probably quoted his fellow adoptee "brother" (Joseph) in saying "What the devil meant for evil, God has turned for good." 

God's perfect WILL isn't adoption ~ sorry. Adoption is born from LOSS first & foremost, and God isn't in the business of WILLING a child to lose it's mother, father, identity, and intended life. YET, God can and does TURN situations for good ~ and for THAT I'm grateful.