Negotiating With God
I actually enjoy negotiating with people and that is a huge part of what I do as a Real Estate Broker. I am negotiating on behalf of my sellers, buyers, agents, staff and partners. Negotiating can be very challenging and even frustrating. It takes great skill and patience. It also takes great patience and I believe a calm spirit. As I reflect on some of the times when I did a great job negotiating, I was also reminded of times when I was “smacked around a bit”. I am thankful for the lessons I’ve learned in negotiating over the years. I’ve learned to choose carefully when to negotiate and who to negotiate with. I’ve watched my kids try to negotiate with me just like I tried to negotiate with my parents. There are times when the law is the law and you must obey it to the letter. There are other times when there are margins to push on in certain subject areas. I’m thankful for our democracy where negotiating has helped expand our freedoms over the years while strengthening the law in other areas.
The Israelites were about to leave Egypt, but Pharaoh wasn’t cooperating. He seemed to think that he was negotiating with God. Moses and Aaron were speaking to Pharaoh with God’s careful instructions. Pharaoh refused to let the people of Israel go into the wilderness to worship God. At this time the population of Israel’s people was probably a million people. This wasn’t going to be a simple camping trip. I think Pharaoh was fully aware that the Israelite people, who were currently his slaves, would not be coming back from this trip. He seemed to think that this was a negotiation with God. Check this out….
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”
25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”(Exodus 10:21-26 NLT)
The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. I think the Lord was showing His people His Power. I think the Lord was showing everyone that He does not negotiate on some things. The Lord had made it clear what His intentions for the people of Israel were.
I have to confess that I’ve tried negotiating with God before. I’ve told Him if He would give me something or someone, I would then do something for Him. I thought the deals I offered Him were fair and reasonable, but God’s will for me in not up for negotiation. I believe that He gives me freedom and flexibility. I also know that He wants me to trust Him. He wants my faith in Him to be stronger and deeper. He wants my heart surrendered to Him. My surrender is definitely NOT up for negotiation. I will still use negotiation in my life, but just not with the Lord. He has made a way for my stupid choices to be forgiven and eradicated. I need to choose simple surrender and gratitude as I let Him lead me where He wants to go.
Pressing On!
Dwayne