Wednesday, February 4
at 11:49 p.m.
The first time I watched The Prince of Egypt, I was too busy admiring how well animated it was to seriously consider the emotions it evoked. But after seeing it again, for the first time if you will, I'm left awestruck at what Moses went through.
Even though - as the films creators admit - artistic license was taken, the message remains powerful. I can only imagine what it must have been like for Moses to see the land of his birth and his adopted people fall under the wrath of God.
And as I realised a few days ago, he continued to experience such things until the end of his life. I'm speaking of how the people he led through the desert were not always grateful for his leadership. Or of how even his siblings began to resent him. What startled me most however was the fact that Korah, who led a rebellion in the desert and died for it, was Moses' cousin. Read the genealogy in the sixth chapter of Exodus if you don't believe me.
All these thoughts bring to mind a poem that I heard once. Please excuse me if it is not arranged in proper form; I tried my best.
The Man of God
Author Unknown
When God wants to fill a man,
And skill a man, and drill a man
When God wants to mould a man
To play the noblest part
When He yearns with all his heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world will be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects
How He hammers him and hurts him
With mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay
Which only God understands
Till his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands
How He bends but never breaks
When His good He undertakes
Then how He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him
By every act induces him
To try his splendour out
God knows what He's about
Now I can understand why God was able to say that Moses was the meekest man on Earth - He made him so. I'll leave you with a song from the film. While some may not agree, it is definitely one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. This is the rendition I like most:
When You Believe
Sandy Dworsky and Michelle Phieffer
Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proved in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
With heart so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
Mi-cha-mo-cha ba-elim Adonai
Mi-ka-mo-cha ne-dar-ba-ko-desh
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
A-shi-ra, A-shi-ra, A-shi-ra
I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously
I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously
Who is like You, oh Lord, among the celestial?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness?
In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed
In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed
I will sing, I will sing, I will sing
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
Now you will
You will when you believe
You will when you believe
Even though - as the films creators admit - artistic license was taken, the message remains powerful. I can only imagine what it must have been like for Moses to see the land of his birth and his adopted people fall under the wrath of God.
And as I realised a few days ago, he continued to experience such things until the end of his life. I'm speaking of how the people he led through the desert were not always grateful for his leadership. Or of how even his siblings began to resent him. What startled me most however was the fact that Korah, who led a rebellion in the desert and died for it, was Moses' cousin. Read the genealogy in the sixth chapter of Exodus if you don't believe me.
All these thoughts bring to mind a poem that I heard once. Please excuse me if it is not arranged in proper form; I tried my best.
The Man of God
Author Unknown
When God wants to fill a man,
And skill a man, and drill a man
When God wants to mould a man
To play the noblest part
When He yearns with all his heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world will be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects
How He hammers him and hurts him
With mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay
Which only God understands
Till his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands
How He bends but never breaks
When His good He undertakes
Then how He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him
By every act induces him
To try his splendour out
God knows what He's about
Now I can understand why God was able to say that Moses was the meekest man on Earth - He made him so. I'll leave you with a song from the film. While some may not agree, it is definitely one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. This is the rendition I like most:
When You Believe
Sandy Dworsky and Michelle Phieffer
Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains
Long before we knew we could
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
In this time of fear
When prayer so often proved in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
With heart so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
Mi-cha-mo-cha ba-elim Adonai
Mi-ka-mo-cha ne-dar-ba-ko-desh
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
A-shi-ra, A-shi-ra, A-shi-ra
I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously
I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously
Who is like You, oh Lord, among the celestial?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness?
In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed
In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed
I will sing, I will sing, I will sing
There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
Now you will
You will when you believe
You will when you believe
