Hidden Identity - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) November 24, 2023

"The Lord works in mysterious ways." Most of us have heard that saying at some point or another and we think we understand what it means. We actually have little idea. Thankfully, the longer we walk with Him, the more we can testify that indeed His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

One way God moved mysteriously was to hide the identities of His servants until the time was right. In the Bible, God used people who didn't look like a big deal to others. And yet, when the Lord was ready, He revealed His children for who they truly were and used them to do miraculous things.

Consider Joseph. A dream of his coming greatness contributed to his brothers' jealousy and hatred. This led to slavery, an accusation of attempted rape, and jail time. The grace on his life was recognized by a few people, and that led him from slavery to becoming the Vice President of Egypt. And when his brothers came to buy grain during a famine, they didn't recognize him. The calling on Joseph's life to save his family and future generations from famine and death wasn't fully recognized then.

Then there was Moses. When he ran from Egypt, he ended up in Midian. There, he met Jethro's daughters. After protecting them from some men, the women invited him home and described him to their father as "an Egyptian" (Exodus 2:19). However, Moses had always been an Israelite. His true nationality and indeed the great call upon His life would only be revealed 40 years later in a great way - it was intrinsically tied to the freedom of his people from slavery.

Finally, look at Queen Esther. She was a Jew married to the king of Persia. Alas, her true identity was known only to her uncle, Mordechai, and he leveraged that knowledge when it became clear that every Jew would die because of one man's murderous hate for them. But when the time came, God allowed her true identity to be revealed and it averted the genocide of her people. It also brought down their enemy and anyone who might have later tried to get revenge.

Now, why did God hide the identities of these His servants from others? He was protecting what was precious from the enemy. He was ensuring that the earthly tools for His victory wouldn't be found out and destroyed before their appointed time.

God did the same thing with Jesus Christ, hiding Him in Egypt as a baby and allowing Him to walk the earth for 30 years before He entered ministry and endured constant attacks from satan and those used by the enemy.

If you love God and wonder why nobody is recognizing your service, don't worry, and don't give up. You're in good company. God may have hidden your true identity until a time of His choosing. Take a breath, don't compare your journey to others, and praise Him for what He's building in you. At the right time, you'll be called for duty and if it's His will, others will see the hand of God on you.

Please remember that Joseph, Moses, and Esther were focused on obeying and honoring God. As you patiently wait, have the same attitude. It's not about others seeing the anointing upon your life, it's about God shining through your life and getting the glory (John 3:30). Just walk in the fear of the Lord and He will help you bear good fruit that will speak louder than anything else.

May the Lord help each of us to not look down on the days of small beginnings. May we focus on pleasing God and not the accolades of men. May we be content with being hidden and be ready when the Lord's call arrives. IJMN Amen.

See you at Noon EST!