God is not efficient

I am reading through the Exodus and I have begun the long series of plagues that are about to come upon Egypt. The first time Moses and Aaron encounter Pharoah it is with this instruction:"you shall say to Aaron " Take your rod and cast it before Pharoah and before his servants, and let it become a serpent." I can just imagine Moses, already shy and fumbling, stoking up his courage to walk into Pharoah's presence feeling like he has a magic bullet. ..."I can't wait to see the look on his face! I wonder if he might bow down to ME! I hope it is a nice snake, because my insurance isn't paid up..." And so Aaron throws down his rod, but then "Pharoah also called his wise men and sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents."

Maybe I've just gotten used to rods turning into serpents from my Sunday School days, but the fact that wise men and magicians, apart from the power of God, are able to do this creeps me out. And imagine poor Moses, the fear coursing through his veins, the humiliation of being matched test for test.

But this is the Lord's way.

He knew what the magicians could do, and he knew they would feel great superiority, and he was not at all concerned about his servant's public image or ego. God has all the time in the world (er...you know what I mean). He isn't on a schedule and he isn't trying to make efficient use of His resources. He is God. He is apart from all of man's trappings and guidelines. He does not care about profit or convenience, for His own sake.

All this to say, the things in my life that make me bow down in awe and wonder, as Aaron's rod must have inspired Moses - I'm thinking of my baby's first prayer, and the woman who delivered loaves of bread to my home as we were down to our last slice, and the $10,000 check that just happened to drop into my boss' hands the day before payroll, and the way God always helps me find my cell phone and debit card - these things just aren't that awe-inspiring to my heathen neighbors. They are totally explainable, and totally possible apart from God.

And secondly, it is not unlike God to keep me a bit off balance and treat me like a slave...when I just want to be a Servant of God...with faith like Moses!