19: Moses in Wilderness

This chapter wraps up our series on God's People Birthed, focusing on the transformative 40 years Moses spent in the wilderness. Today, we explore the significance of Moses's time in Midian and how his years of solitude and shepherding were crucial to shaping him into the leader that God needed. We discuss the concept of the economy of words in ancient narratives and the implications of Moses's experiences on his character.  

We also examine how the wilderness serves as an allegory for spiritual development in our modern lives, drawing parallels between the physical rigor of past generations and the spiritual challenges we face today. The conversation touches on the theme of hardship as a catalyst for character development, a thread we intend to continue unraveling in our next series. 

Topics Discussed 

• Moses' formative 40 years in the wilderness and his transformation into a leader 
• The 'economy of words' in ancient narratives and the silent teachings of Moses' experiences 
• The wilderness as a metaphor for personal growth and spiritual development 
• Moses' years in Midian, marriage to Zipporah, and preparation for his destiny 
• God's remembrance of the covenant as a framing device for divine timing and preparation 
• Gregory of Nyssa's insights into Moses' character development and the concept of ongoing spiritual growth 
• The notion that spiritual growth and perfection are about continuous progress rather than a static state 
• The role of the wilderness in spiritual transformation 
• The psychological and spiritual shifts in middle adulthood and the significance of the encounter with the burning bush  
• The burning bush as a defining moment in Moses' life, intertwining his identity with the divine 

Quotes: 

“God often has to stop us in our tracks and strip down a lot of things in our life so that there's space to listen, and I think we're going to see that a lot play out.” –Dr. David Pocta  

“So, we're called not to perfection in the moral sense, we're called to perfection in the sense of becoming the mature version of ourselves, the progressed version of ourselves.” –Dr. David Pocta 

 “It's a nice idea that we're unfinished, like we're ever growing. That's kind of freeing.” –Hannah Desouza 

Links: 

Dr. David Pocta 

Hannah DeSouza 

Slideshow