Transformers – Clearlius Notmeimus

October 1-7, 2007

Day One Earthly Rescue

I have shared with you before about our story of Andrea and the rattlesnake that took place early in Andrea’s pregnancy with our first child. Andrea was just a few months pregnant when we spent a Saturday in the Wichita mountains with a group of youth we were working with. We had taken the group repelling down some of the cliffs in the mountains so the day involved a certain amount of hiking. As we had finished the repelling we organized the group to hike back to the car. The youth were following our repelling guide who had accompanied us for the day and Andrea and I were bringing up the end of the group. As we were almost out of the high grass area, walking on a small trail, Andrea, who was walking in front of me, suddenly jumped, screamed, and quickly took a giant step forward. I quickly caught up to where she had landed to see what had happened where she explained that she was certain that she had just stepped on a snake. I carefully went back to the spot where she had excitedly jumped and saw, off the side of the path, a young rattlesnake slowly slithering off into the grass. She had stepped on a rattlesnake.

We assumed that snake had been caught off guard and was unable to strike. We later learned that if she had been struck by the snake, the anti-venom she would have been given would have probably killed the child inside of her.

The next morning as she opened up her devotional for the day, a preplanned daily reading guide, she was directed to Psalm 91:13 which says: “You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.” It was difficult to deny the fact that God had rescued the child that was growing inside of Andrea.

To this day, that child, Caleb, claims this as his life verse. It is a reminder of the earthly rescue that God provided for him.

You probably have stories of how God provided an earthly rescue of yourself or someone you love. The mere fact that any of us is born is evidence of God’s provision for our earthly existence. We are probably all the benefactors of earthly rescue. Moses also had an earthly rescue, where God spared his life even as a young child. What are the details regarding the earthly rescue of Moses (see Exodus 2:1-10)?

What is the significance of us being permitted to survive and have an earthly existence?

What does our very existence, the fact that God provided the way, mean about the purpose of our existence?

Day Two Earthly Confusion

Recently, our youngest child, Isaiah, became very frustrated by the group he had to sit with in his second grade class. You probably remember my story about him in first grade when he became frustrated with the people he was sitting around. At that time, he packed up his desk supplies, walked up to his teacher, and , pointing to the empty “time-out” desk he said, “I am going to move over there because those people (pointing to the people he had been sitting by) are driving me crazy!” He then spent the remainder of the school year at the “time out” desk of his own accord. Well, his low tolerance level has once again surfaced, only this time it happened a week before the actual group shifting defined time. Apparently, his teacher has a schedule to move the kids to different tables so that they are sitting with different groups of second graders. Isaiah had been complaining about his group to us almost since second grade had begun. He kept telling us that one boy in particular was not only a distraction but also would repeatedly mess with Isaiah’s stuff (sadly, he acquired this disdain for ill behaving and boundary violating individuals from both of his parents). We repeatedly told him that the groups would soon be changed and that he would be in a new group soon. Over the past couple of weeks though, he has begun to question why he should have to wait. “Why, if something is wrong, do I have to wait to fix the problem?” he constantly asked. So, after school on Monday, he sat down and wrote a note to his teacher explaining his frustration and requested a new seat. That day, after school, he informed us that even though groups would be changed next Monday, his teacher allowed him to go ahead and move. He had finally acted out of his confusion and questioning in regard to the established system and rules.

Sometimes we live in confusion and questions regarding the way things are. We usually just accept the situation even if we are in disagreement with the established way. Sometimes thought our confusion brings us to action.

Moses grew up in a situation of confusion. He was raised as royalty yet constantly felt confused about the way things were and especially about how the slaves were treated. Read about his confusion and his final actions in Exodus 2:11-15.

What do you think was the source of his actions?

How did his upbringing conflict with his emotions and thoughts?

Where do you think this confusion and questioning came from?

God was making Moses uncomfortable with his situation. He was living in luxury while the slaves were in misery. Why do you think he was not comfortable with this arrangement like his adopted family seemed to b?

How has God used confusion and questioning in your transformation process?

Day Three Searching for Answers

In eighth grade I somehow did very well in math. Our church financial person, Jeanette, is shaking her head in amazement right now I am sure. The result, or I possibly should say consequence, of this eighth grade math accomplishment was that in ninth grade I was placed in an honors algebra class. I spent the entire year confused and behind. The only thing I understood was “talk about anything Fridays” when the topic usually became non-algebraic. I then survived High School Algebra II only because Mrs. Maddox, my teacher, took great pity on me.

My past is now haunting me as my seventh grader, Caleb, is now doing algebra. Time has in no way increased my capacity to understand algebra, I am still clueless. This is sad for Caleb. Not only have I possibly past on this inability to him, I am also no help when it comes time to do homework. His only real hope is that Papa is available to explain. When he has to depend on my assistance my only hope is that his teacher is checking his email. When I need answers I usually seek the answers from the source, his math teacher. I don’t always understand his explanation but Caleb usually does.

Yesterday we discussed times of confusion and questioning. Times when the standard answers and structures do not seem to provide the satisfaction that we are seeking.

Moses, in the midst of his confusion, ran away, attempting to get away from his confusion. He did not know it, but he was actually running to his answers. God was waiting on him, waiting for the time when he would seek the answers from outside of himself and his earthly reasoning. Read in Exodus 3:1-10 about how Moses came to his answers. What happened in this encounter?

What did Moses learn in regard to his confusion and questions?

What did he learn about God?

What did he learn about God’s plan for him?

How has God answered questions and confusion you have had during your life and your transformation process?

How do you respond to His answers?

Day Four Earthly Insecurities

On the Father and Son retreat in Colorado that my oldest son Caleb and I recently attended, Caleb convinced me to sign up for mountain biking. We were scheduled to go biking on the Saturday afternoon of the retreat and that entire morning I did my best to communicate to Caleb that this was a big mistake. This was not going to be biking on the streets of flat Norman, Oklahoma, it would be biking up big mountains upon boulders and over giant ruts. He replied to my insecurities by attempting to convince me that I could do this. He pointed to other dads, who actually appeared to possibly be in worse shape than me and told me that they had been able to do this. He pointed to one dad in particular, a dad against whom I looked fairly in shape, and told me that he had gone biking. I later learned that this was not true but that revelation was too late. I ended up in the van with my bike helmet and fingerless gloves (both of which were supposed to help me accomplish this task) headed to the path. When we got to the path, it was indeed straight up a mountain upon boulders and over giant ruts. Caleb kept telling me that I could do it. The Owen Wilson look alike bike guide also kept attempting to encourage me. The other dads, none of whom looked to have been missed a day at the gym in the last ten to twenty years, also assured me that I would be successful and enjoy the experience. On the way up on dad and son did actually have to turn back and wait at the bottom. At one point I suggested, between gasps for oxygen, to Caleb that we also turn back. He declined my offer and insisted that I could do it. Once we were in the meadow on top of the mountain, I began to believe. On the way down, still gasping for oxygen, I began to believe that I could do it. Sitting in the van on the way back to camp, still gasping for oxygen, I was convinced that I could do it. This was a big change in the attitude I had prior to the biking adventure. Prior to the biking trip my insecurities convinced me that I could not do this, if I had let those thoughts win then I would have never had this experience.

Moses had insecurities when God shared the plan He had for him. What were the insecurities that Moses voiced as depicted in Exodus 3:10-4:17?

How did God respond to the insecurities that Moses had?

What insecurities do you often voice to God?

How does God respond to your insecurities?

Day Five Heavenly Dependency

At the kids grade school they have a music student teacher this semester who is totally blind. She was born blind and is constantly amazing the kids. A couple of times a week they come home telling us something else she has done that impressed them. Andrea spoke with her and found out that she was born blind and that as a toddler she was sat at a piano where she immediately began to play the piano. At that early age she displayed a giftedness many adult piano players were envious of. She is able to do almost anything any other teacher at the school is able to do. She does need help in one area though, getting around the school. Since the building is new to her she has to have her mentoring teacher lead her around. Probably, by the end of the semester she will probably be able to get around without assistance but for now she needs someone to help her.

We all have times we need someone else to help us. We can be totally gifted in just about every area of life but need help with something. Sometimes we need help with something basic and other times we need assistance with something big.

Moses was the same way, he was rescued as an infant, he was blessed as a child and adolescent in his life situation, and he even had the obvious calling of God who provided him with the help he required (although he may not have needed the help he required of from Aaron). Moses could have definitely been called gifted. Look at what it says about Moses even at birth (see Exodus 2:1-2). Your Bible may say that he was “fine” or it may say something else, but it means that he was obviously no ordinary child. He had been rescued, blessed, and even directly addressed by God Himself, still he needed assistance.

Moses went back to his Egypt greatly in need of God’s assistance. God had given him everything he needed but still, Moses needed the assistance of God. How did God provide the assistance detailed in Exodus 4:19

What was the response as seen in Exodus 4:20 of Moses to the assistance of God?

How have you seen God gift you in your life? In your transformation?

How have you seen God provide you assistance in your transformation?

How do you trust in God’s provision of assistance?

Are you in need of such trust now?