Embracing God’s Timing in Transition
I am having another Moses moment. I haven’t been placed in a reed basket and pushed out into a river. I haven’t killed anyone and buried them in the sand. I haven’t seen an isolated burning bush anywhere. I haven’t been told to go to Pharaoh or to the president or king of any country, demanding freedom for any particular group. I haven’t received any messages on stone tablets from God. (I do write all my devotions on an iPad, though!)
So what is the Moses moment? I haven’t been told to walk up a mountain, name and bless a successor, and then die. But… I am living in a moment where my successor as president of Point University has been named. And while my end date as president is June 30th and my successor, Dr. Stacy Bartlett, begins the next day, I am fully aware and embracing that the next four months will be filled with lots of transitions and activities.
I am sure that over the rest of my term as president, and throughout the months that follow, I will share things that God is teaching me through scripture and prayer about this transition. Today I will share that, like Moses, I have had a long season of watching Stacy emerge as a godly, high-capacity leader who is ready for this assignment.
Most scholars agree that while God instructed Moses as to how his transition out of leadership would go, it was several months before it actually happened. About two years ago my wife and I began to pray about when I should step down as the president and move into a new season. While neither of us heard an audible voice from God, it became clear to us that the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was the right time for me to step down from the presidency and step into whatever God called me to do next.
God told Moses to go up into a mountain range called Abarim and catch a view of the promised land before his leadership assignment was over. Moses asked the Lord to appoint the next leader who would guide the congregation of the Israelites to the promised land. God honored Moses’ request and told him to tap Joshua as his successor. A few months later, Joshua would take the helm and Moses would be laid to rest.
Now quite honestly, I hope that the Lord gives me more time on this side of eternity once my retirement begins. And while I would rather be here awhile longer, I won’t have anything to complain about if I am standing with the Lord the day after retirement!
God and Moses were mentoring Joshua long before Joshua became the one who would lead God’s people into the promised land. I have mentored a lot of men and women throughout my life, and in this current moment I am grateful and honored to watch someone I have worked with for 19 years step into this role. I am confident that President Elect Bartlett is the right person for this role and will lead Point University to places I never imagined we could go.
There is a great reminder, challenge, and example in this text. Whatever role you currently have, you are called to prepare someone behind you to step into that role. Every follower of Christ must be discipling another and helping prepare them for the service and roles that God has for them. We mentor and disciple our children, our grandchildren, the employees who work for us, and everyone who comes behind us in their walk of faith. And when we take this job seriously, we will discover the great joy of seeing the next generation move forward in the work of God’s kingdom in ways that are far greater than anything we accomplished.
Father, we are aware that you called us to yourself through Christ, and as your followers, we are tasked with making disciples. Part of discipleship involves mentoring and pouring into others through the various relationships you have given us. Today we ask that you use us to develop the next generation through our words, time, and by our example. We commit to pouring into the generations who follow us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Numbers 27:12-23 ESV
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