From Impulse to Pulse

UV 2900/10000 From Impulse to Pulse
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand
Exodus 2 v 12
The irony is that Moses, the future law giver was about to break the law. He was about to kill an Egyptian who was beating up a Hebrew slave. Moses was provoked. He was moved with anger at the treatment meted out to a brother. He acted on that impulse after taking due precaution to check if anyone was watching. Eventually, Moses was given the tablet that included one of the most vital commandments- “Thou shall not kill.” One cannot kill any human whether Egyptian or Hebrew or any other linguistic or religious group as everyone is made in the image of God. Only the life giver, the Lord has the right to take back life from anyone.
Though Moses thought that no one knew about his impulsive action of killing the Egyptian and burying him in the sand, word got around and he was forced to flee from Pharaoh’s wrath. The time he spent in the wilderness as a fugitive away from his people and the Egyptian court, God used to shape the character of Moses. He was no longer the person who would act on impulse but the one who was in touch with the pulse of God. He learnt that Jehovah shared his anguish at the enslavement and oppression of the Hebrew people, children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses’ anger was being tapped to be used in a constructive and more effective way to secure the destiny and freedom of the Hebrew people from whom would eventually come the Saviour of mankind- the Law fulfiller- Jesus, the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah.
Each of us are also transformed from being persons who act on impulse to persons who are in touch with the pulse of the Lord. We feel His anguish at the sin and pain in this world and He first breaks our impulsive nature before utilising us for the deliverance of many from the ultimate oppression- the spiritual yoke of sin and guilt and fear of death. From being law breakers, He turns us into law fulfillers by grace. The agape love of Jesus transcends the external requirements of law. He works through the Holy Spirit a deep work from within us so that we live and act in accordance with the pulse of the Lord. We are no longer led neither by our varying emotions or our fallible reasoning but by the leading and grace of the Lord. We need not cast furtive glances left and right like Moses before breaking the law but we can look up to the Lord for justice and mercy.
Prateep V Philip