Thanks everyone for commenting on the question in the last post - if you haven't yet done it, please do, it's just below. I will likely blog on it in the near future, but it's not yet time. I do want to say that I think April's comment was profound: "Community has many definitions." Interesting.....

On to another topic for now - I have been reading about the exodus from Egypt in, well, the book of Exodus (good place for it - "The Prince of Egypt" isn't quite enough and not perfectly accurate.....). I'm sure you've noticed that when Moses was called by God he made excuses as to why he was a bad choice for the job? God was gracious and gave Moses his brother Aaron to act as a mouthpiece and prophet. If you continue reading through the first few chapters of Exodus, Moses continues to make excuses. And Aaron continues to fill in. God speaks to Moses and then Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and Aaron performs the signs and wonders (throwing the staff to the ground to become a serpent, striking the Nile to have it turn to blood).

And then so subtly that it is almost beyond notice, it is Moses who begins to wield the staff and perform the signs and wonders. And as Moses learns that God hears his intercession for the cessation of certain plagues, he grows in his knowledge of that, too, until he finally declares to Pharaoh that God will stop one of the plagues as soon as Moses leaves and calls out to God.

There is a confidence that Moses grows in (his knowledge of God and His power) and an authority that he learns to step into and accept (his spiritual authority given by God).

I like that God does not make mistakes in whom He calls, as is evidenced by the rest of Moses' life and leadership. But I also like the reminder that Moses himself - this great man of God - had a process that he had to experience and a choice as to whether to finally accept and step into his God-given authority.

I have no doubt that the process was as important as the original call, and indeed was likely an integral part of it.