Exodus 2:15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.
Moses fled for almost 300 miles from Egypt to Midian. He ran an ultra marathon into the wilderness to hide from his stupor and his impetuous reactionary retaliation. In those days there were no satellites or drones to trace the runaway convict. He hid from the Pharaoh and buried his sin in the deep woods.
Even though Moses had physically distanced himself from the predator, his mistake was not distanced from him. The run was like an ultra-marathon that would have caused metabolic stress and excessive fatigue. Physically the ultra-marathon distanced Moses from the messy past but spiritually, he was on a treadmill walking over and over it and mulling over his stupor and silly blunder. Despite walking on a treadmill after a vigorous high-repetition and high-volume workout, we will still be where we started! The exercise could result in metabolic stress and excessive exhaustion but physically we haven’t advanced any further in distance than where we started. When you make a mistake, running away from God is like sprinting for hours on a treadmill.
“You make mistakes. Mistakes don’t make you.”
Moses kept running on the treadmill of his mistakes over and over again for 40 years. He hid himself in the wilderness but his guilt humiliated and completely depleted his self-esteem and self-worth.
Don’t run from God:
1. Energy: While regular exercise increases metabolic stress and generates muscle power, over exertion leads to breakdown of muscle fibers and heart problems. Spiritually, running away from our mistakes will damage our identity. He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy (Proverbs 28:13). Moses lost his vigor to deliver his people and gave excuses to the Lord to go back to Egypt as his identity was damaged. He saw himself as a fugitive criminal. Hiding our sins will encase us in shame, stigma and seclusion. It will deplete our spiritual energy.
2. Enthusiasm: While exercising plans are good in the short run, fitness and exercise should become our lifestyle. When exercising is a chore, the enthusiasm will die down quickly. Similarly, running to God no matter how we feel or what we’ve done will increase our earnestness with God but finding excuses or justifying our mistakes will quench our enthusiasm. Moses jumped from one excuse to another as he had lost his fervor to pursue his calling.
3. Exercise: While exercising on a treadmill builds strength and endurance, exercising outdoors is one of the best ways to build immunity. Be bold and transparent about your faith and build your spiritual immunity.
Running away from God is like running on a treadmill, after hours of running you will still be where you started.
Psalm 139:7-8 Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Prayer: Father God, give me the tenacity to never be overcome by my failings but to run back to you and start again. Amen.
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