"Already but not-yet." These words represent a paradigm that speak to the beautiful reality of the power of the gospel. When we come to know Christ, we receive the righteousness of God and, as such, it can be rightly stated as well as confidently believed that, at the moment of conversion, we are as holy as we need to be to enter into heaven. We are truly saved but not yet.
In other words, we are still waiting the consummation of all things when Christ comes and, in between conversion and glory, we experience sanctification. This "in between" time is filled with experiences - good and difficult - all designed to make us more like Christ before we enter glory. This paradigm of already but not-yet is also a great way to understand how the Lord shapes us for greatness - greatness being defined as life lived for the glory of God.
Moses is an example of greatness. Leading the children of Israel out of Egypt was his calling to fulfill in, by and with the Lord. But before Moses was Moses he was, well, simply Moses but he possessed the seeds of all that would make him great. There were three incidents that show this reality. The first is when he killed an Egyptian for beating up one of his fellow Hebrew brothers (Exodus 2:11-12). The second is seen in what the two Hebrews were arguing with one another and, when Moses tried to stop them, they said "Who made you a prince and judge over us..." (Exodus 2:14)? The third incident is when he saved Jethro's daughters from the shepherds and the daughters told Jethro "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock” (Exodus 2:18).
In each of these episodes we see and read this character trait about Moses: he is a deliverer. He is already inclined to see oppression and have a heart to bring about justice. It may be flawed in some way (not sure he had to kill the Egyptian!) but this proclivity, bent and or resolve to deliver people out of adverse circumstances is who he is already. God has created him with natural inclinations that would be the way he is used in achieving the greatness God has for him. I think that is true for all of us! Our natural tendencies represent the ways in which the Lord will use us to achieve greatness for him.
Often, we highlight our weaknesses and those things that we wish we could do better but in doing so we miss the wonder of what God has created in us. What we see in Moses is the truth that whatever we will do for the Lord, He has already equipped us with. Sure, we are not perfect and there are many quirks in our personalities but, we must believe the Bible when it says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). Our oath to greatness starts with recognizing and believing that even amidst the evidence of the effects of sin that remains in us.
I am convinced that one thing that keeps believer's stagnant and unfruitful is our inability to get of their own way at times. It is almost as if we are inclined to see the negative about us and explain away the positive. For instance, I know a person who, when they serve someone and are appreciated for it, they minimize it saying, "I just did what anyone else would have done." When they financially help others, they minimize it by saying "I had it to give so why would I not?" All of this may be true but what if they learned to see that God has made them caring, servant-hearted, sacrificial, and sensitive to needs? I believe when they begin to own this as their God-given character that they are on the brink of sensing how the Lord created them to achieve greatness for Him.
Moses was a deliverer and a savior before he actually delivered and saved. Who you are to be for God is in you and true about you. What we learn in Moses' story is that you already have it...but not yet. Who Moses would become was already in Moses, but not yet. He needed, like we need, some "in between time" to be made ready to step into his (our) God - assigned greatness. What was involved in this season? So much can be said here but I will summarize all of it with two realities - theological realities - that anyone used by the Lord must matriculate in and through: Experiential Theology and Practical Theology.
We will explore this next time but for now, look at your defining characteristics; those things that make you you to others; those skills, inclinations, and desires. A cake is only good when the right ingredients are used. Greatness in the Lord is in using the ingredients he has already placed in you.