(Read Exodus 3)
I’ve never been a very mechanical person and when it comes to cars, changing oil or tires is about my limit. Sometimes, cars might require wheel alignment due to wear and tear, an accident, or new wheels. When we notice if our vehicle pulls to one side, or the steering wheel is off-center, the tires wear unevenly, or the whole vehicle vibrates — it’s time for realignment. This fix is required for our lives, too.
Alignment is the process of adjusting the angles of our vehicle’s wheels to be perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. Our spiritual lives should also be perpendicular to the ground — pointing upwards to God, not horizontally. There are several ways to realign our spiritual lives, including prayer, repenting our sinful behavior, worship time in church, reading God’s word, and deep conversations with other accountable believers. When we’re going astray or experiencing excessive vibrations in life, we can’t just change the road or God’s mind, but we can change how we travel by readjusting our lives into alignment with God’s will and purpose.
And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Exodus 3: 9-12
At first, Moses was hesitant to accept God’s calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He felt inadequate and unqualified. Through this exchange, God assured Moses that He would be with him every step of the way. Moses obeyed God’s calling, leading the Israelites to freedom in the promised land. The journey wasn’t easy, packed with many challenges along the way, but Moses stayed aligned with God’s will and accomplished God’s purpose for his life and his people.
Spiritual realignment might benefit us at some point, even though that’s not why we should do it. It’s about obeying God to know Him better. God’s mission for Moses was a radical event requiring him to step out of his comfort zone and trust God to lead him. Moses obeyed God and, in doing so, was repositioned on a journey of faith that had far-reaching consequences.
We shouldn’t realign to God’s plans because they bring prosperity and treasures to our lives; that would be like looking at a mirror to see what’s on the counter behind us. We don’t look to ourselves for answers. By readjusting our lives to God’s will, we look directly at God, not as a reflection of ourselves. His remarkable promises speak to His incredible generosity and love. This Exodus story is a teachable example of God’s compassion, His ability to use flawed individuals for His purposes, and the importance of trusting in His presence and guidance when answering His call. In response to Moses’ self-doubt, God reassured him. While Moses felt safer hiding from his past in Midian, redirecting his life to answering God was a much better option.
Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory
(Colossians 3:2-4)
Paul, the writer of Colossians, stated that believers have “died” and that their “life is hidden with Christ in God,” referring to the idea of spiritual rebirth and union with Christ. When we follow Christ, we are considered to have died to our old worldly ways of life. What I find encouraging in this passage is the hope of all believers’ future transformation and glorification. After all, our true home is in heaven, not here on earth.
God’s calling is sometimes extreme and counterintuitive. We must step out of our comfort zone and trust God to lead us. Earlier this week, our church group started a study called Experiencing God. So far, it’s been incredibly transformative. When encountering a major crisis-level work issue one day, I thought about what our group had been reading and discussing. I knew that to get through this challenge, I needed to readjust my thinking and trust that it would realign with whatever God had in store for me and more importantly, what was His purpose in this. I prayed. I trusted that somehow, sometime, it would work out — because God works all things for His good. It did work out sooner than I expected. Realigning to God’s will gave me a sense of calm, clarity, and the ability to see light through the problem. By recasting the worries and fears of my problems to God’s will, I was better equipped to face the adversity of the situation. I didn’t turn to God to trust Him for a fix; I turned to Him because it’s an active part of my faith, and I need to know Him better.
When Jesus called Peter to join Him on the water, Peter had faith and walked. He accomplished something physically impossible according to the physics of the natural world. With Christ, all things are possible. Peter got caught up in the moment, got wobbly, and took his eyes off Jesus. He sank. Earlier in the Gospel story, we learned how Jesus called Peter (and others) to follow Him. They followed without questioning, guidance, or detailed plans. Before we laugh at Peter for taking his eyes off Jesus and sinking, we should recognize all the times in our lives when we’ve done the same.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1-2
Most people don’t know that babies fall about 17 times per hour while learning to walk. According to an NIH study, over their waking day, babies average about 14,000 steps (46 football fields) and fall 100x. Why are they so persistent? We adults would never subject ourselves to that kind of torture. They succeed through determination and readjustment. Falling is probably scarier for them because they don’t understand it, yet after they fall, they try again. In a sense, these 12-19-month-olds sacrifice themselves for one prize — to walk. Learning to walk transforms them from a floor-sitting or crawling infant to a locomotive toddler.
In the Old Testament, people would sacrifice animals to God to atone for their sins. However, Paul says Christ-followers are to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God. What does this look like? It looks like a four-wheel realignment. We need to surrender our lives to him completely and live in a way that pleases Him. Paul warns us not to be conformed or shaped by the world. Instead, we should be transformed by renewing our minds with God’s way.
“Spiritual worship” highlights that a life surrendered to God is a form of worship that goes beyond rituals and tradition. Realignment is a transformation; it’s the death of many values, behaviors, and attitudes contrary to God’s will. Paul warns that conforming to the world can lead to moral compromise and spiritual apathy, putting barriers between us and God, whereas transformation brings us nearer to God.
We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
Proverbs 16:1-4
Despite our most elaborate planning, it is God who controls our steps. He is the one who guides and leads us in His correct direction. God sees our hearts as they truly are. He knows our true motives and intentions. My realignment has opened up a new willingness in me to abide in His will and purpose. How it affects my life is secondary. How it connects me to experience Him more fully is primary.
Key Applications:
- If we find that any of our core beliefs and behaviors are out of line with the Bible – the written will of God, then we need to make the necessary adjustments.
- How? Spend time in the Bible. Pray regularly. Find a good church. Talk to a trusted mentor.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.