Life is never one constant. We all fall into a rut at times when it seems every day is same ole, same ole. However, life as a whole is composed of a series of stages. A baby is born, it learns to crawl, walk, talk, eat solid food, goes to school, etc. until he or she dies. Various cultures view some of the changes as rites of passage marking a transition from one stage of life to another. Each culture or tribal group commemorates these passages with their own unique celebrations. The most common rite around the world is the ‘coming of age’ or the transition into adolescence. Rituals range from birthday parties to cruel initiations. Typically, the number of rites of passages range from three to seven. Yet, the majority of our transitions into another stage passes unnoticed. We may not notice at the time but God also takes believers through various stages of spiritual progress. Not all believers go through the same kinds of passages. The number and circumstances varies depending on God’s purpose for our life.
The Bible has detailed the life of numerous characters from their birth until their death. Each person serves as an example and guide for us. As we study their life, we can often distinguish the transitions they go through and their development. God has led me to several men during my life that directed me and helped me understand what the Lord was doing during this stage. The Holy Spirit first led me to Elijah and then Joseph during my spiritual development. In recent years, Moses’ life has become an inspiration and guide for my older years.
Moses lived 120 years and we can divide his life into three 40 years periods. Each stage is different, beginning and ending with a radical experience. During the first 40-year period, Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s court. He was taught, trained, and educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action (Acts 7:22 NIV). Even through Moses was an Egyptian prince, he never forgot he was a Hebrew by birth. This first stage of his life ended when he visited the Israelites. Seeing an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew, he reacted by killing and burying him in the sand. Fearing for his life, he fled and lived in the land of Midian. This began his next 40-year period. During this phase of his life, he spent 40 years as a herdsman and wandering the wilderness through which God would lead Israel to the Promised Land. The second stage ended when God called him at the burning bush as the person He would use for delivering His people from Egyptian slavery. So, at the age of 80 years Moses began the third and final phase of his life. Some commentators and teachers categorize the three stages as 40 years of learning, 40 years of unlearning, and 40 years of relearning.
Regardless if you do or don’t go through the same stages as Moses, the first stage in everyone’s life is learning. We learn through experience, observation of parents, peers, and school. A majority of people have some kind of religious training whether Christianity or another religion. Learning is just one facet that determines who we become by forming our worldview and value system. These dictate how we act, think, and communicate in the following stages. However, not everything we learned is correct. Even Christians have to unlearn and relearn some information. I appreciate the knowledge of scripture I gained at Bible College; unfortunately, the school’s theological foundation was framed around denominational tradition and the teaching of men. Without knowing, I believed everything the school taught and even graduated at the top of my class. Soon into my following graduate studies at another non-denominational school, I began seeing I had to unlearn and relearn much of the teaching I had received. That brought me to a second stage as Moses. It was a long journey of unlearning and even now, I still must correct things I learned. For the past decade, God has brought me into a time of relearning. Some days I feel like I’ve learned more truth during this stage than all the years prior.
Several lessons come from this. The Holy Spirit has recorded the lives of Biblical characters as examples for us. He may lead you to one particular person that guides you through your current stage of life. Maybe like Joseph your family betrayed you, or like Abraham waiting for God to fulfill His promise, or like David facing the giant Goliath, or like Moses unlearning and relearning. Believers have the responsibility to examine what they have learned and confirm that it is based on Biblical truth. The truth will make you free (Jn 8:32). Another lesson is we are never too old to learn truth. Neither is it too late to use your gifts and talents for God—Moses was eighty. Last, no one’s stages of life are the same. God leads us through various experiences preparing us for His glory. Always be willing to unlearn and relearn; and be willing to move into the next phase. Abraham, Joseph, David, and Moses went through some difficult phases but the Holy Spirit also recorded their final stage of victory.
Sustaining Word for the Week: You may feel like you are in a rut but God is bringing you to the next stage of life.