Moses had a way of...
Illustration
Moses had a way of making every Hebrew feel that he or she was a part of the Exodus experience. His use of the personal pronoun brings the drama of God's salvation out of the realm of history, and into the present tense in the lives of his hearers.
Many people have been unable to experience a sense of God's pardoning grace until they, too, have inserted their own name into the text. Billy Graham's wife, Ruth, tells of a period in her life, when though she was the daughter of a missionary, she felt uncertain about being a child of God. She was anxious and troubled until her sister suggested she open her Bible and read from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. Ruth Graham did, and read the words, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed."
"Now," said Ruth's sister, "read it again, but this time insert your own name into the text." Ruth began to read: "But he was wounded for Ruth's transgressions, he was bruised for Ruth's iniquities, the chastisement of Ruth's peace was upon him, and with his stripes, Ruth is healed."
Ruth Graham said she never again doubted the love of God for her life because, suddenly, God's great act of salvation had become personal.
Many people have been unable to experience a sense of God's pardoning grace until they, too, have inserted their own name into the text. Billy Graham's wife, Ruth, tells of a period in her life, when though she was the daughter of a missionary, she felt uncertain about being a child of God. She was anxious and troubled until her sister suggested she open her Bible and read from the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. Ruth Graham did, and read the words, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed."
"Now," said Ruth's sister, "read it again, but this time insert your own name into the text." Ruth began to read: "But he was wounded for Ruth's transgressions, he was bruised for Ruth's iniquities, the chastisement of Ruth's peace was upon him, and with his stripes, Ruth is healed."
Ruth Graham said she never again doubted the love of God for her life because, suddenly, God's great act of salvation had become personal.
