Author: Beth Duncan

Exodus 18:24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 

I wonder if Moses was a Type A. As a Type A myself, I know it can be quite easy to get so caught up in the doing, in executing “The Plan,” that it is hard to step back and see the big picture, to see if there is a better way that more effectively uses available resources. 

Exodus 18:25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 

I think part of being a good steward on this earth is ensuring that available resources are utilized wisely. I do not have to do everything. Honestly, I have skills that make certain things better for me to focus on. You have different skills, focusing on different areas. Being able to see and utilize people where they are most effective is part of the gig, I think.

Exodus 18:26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that we are all different, that we all have certain assets and skills, that we each have a role to play in this life, and the secret is finding where we fit and where others fit so we can each be as effective as possible. Help us to work together for our good and Your glory. Amen.

Exodus 18:27 Then Moses sent his father-in-law on his way, and Jethro returned to his own country.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 18:20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 

Today’s verses speak to both control and empowerment, and the content sent me back to the classroom. As a teacher, I would hand out printed instructions to each pod of students, go over them with the class as a whole, and then circulate to answer questions. My hope was that many folks could get started from the print and verbal instructions and would ask each other if they had questions. The goal was student empowerment. 

Exodus 18:21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 

Sometimes that worked well and little questions were answered by podmates, but for those folks who weren’t inclined to do the work, they would just converse with others as they waited for me to come to them. Some had no interest in being self-motivated. Some were just really confused and wanted my input. For them, my attempt at empowerment seemed to reinforce learned helplessness, which was absolutely not the goal. 

Exodus 18:22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that this life is not about our control. You are in control. You empower us to empower others so that we can shine Your light as we encourage others. Help me, Jesus. Help me. Amen.

Exodus 18:23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 18:17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 

Personally, it feels like a beautiful gift for Jethro to truly see Moses and care about him to the point that he says what he does in verses 17 and 18. “This isn’t good. This is too much. You shouldn’t be taking all this on alone” shows care and concern for both Moses and the people. To be seen so clearly and cared about so much is a gift.

Exodus 18:18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 

I have learned that I want to feel seen, to feel known and cared for. Somewhere along the way, though, that got twisted up into “Keep your head down and work your butt off. It’s too much, but don’t complain. If someone cares enough to notice and help–Great! But if not, you’ve still got to do the work.” I’m learning, so incredibly slowly, to speak up for what I need, instead of just hoping someone notices. 

Exodus 18:19a Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. 

Precious Savior, Help us to notice others and their toil, to help, and to give them wise counsel. But also help us to learn to advocate for ourselves. Help us to work together so that none of us wear ourselves out and we all shine for You. Amen.

Exodus 18:19b You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 18:13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 

If I had to guess, I would say that Moses is probably exhausted, both mentally and physically. “From morning till evening,” he sits as judge for the people. Case after case after case, he listens to the facts, he discerns God’s will based on what he knows of God. Honestly, it sounds both exhausting and lonely. 

Exodus 18:14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”

I wonder if Moses even realizes the toll this role takes on him. I know that for me, when my boys were young, being a wife, a mother, a teacher, a friend could absolutely lead me to exhaustion and sometimes felt rather isolating. I wonder if this realization is God calling us to community or God calling us to rest in Him? I’d say both are appropriate responses.

Exodus 18:15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. 

Precious Savior, It is so easy to take on the weight of the world, to feel like we are the only thing keeping life running smoothly, but that way leads to exhaustion and burn out, which isn’t good for anyone. Help us, no matter what our lot in this life, to remember that with You, we are never alone. Help us to rest in You and to lean on the community You have called us to. Amen.

Exodus 18:16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.”

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 18:9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 

When I think of shining God’s light, I usually think of that light in terms of fire. It might be small like a birthday candle, or raging like a bonfire, but His light is a fire that we shine or reflect for others. Usually that metaphor serves me well. But when all I can see is darkness, the metaphor becomes problematic. If God’s light is fire and I can’t see it, how can I reflect it?

Exodus 18:10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 

I read a devo this morning that talked about God’s light as phosphorescence, “light emitted by a substance without combustion or perceptible heat” (Google). The idea is that we soak in God’s light, almost as though through our pores, so that when we need it, it is WITHIN us, faintly glowing, always. I love this idea, and it is one I definitely want to think on further.

Exodus 18:11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the timely devo reflection I read this morning and for this new way to think about Your light, what it is, how I experience it, how I interact with it. Thank You for the ability to discover new things about You, even now. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Exodus 18:12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 17:13So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

I coordinate a daily devo reflection for my church, and our theme for next week is “When we mess up, just begin again.” I’m not usually one to do that. I typically beat myself up with the “coulda, woulda, shoulda”s, armchair quarterbacking until I just feel like giving up. I expect I’m not alone in this tendency.

Exodus 17:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”

But here’s the thing. We are all human. We all mess up. Even the folks in today’s victory tale: Joshua, Moses, Aaron. They are riding high here, but they have or will mess up (or mess up again) in the course of the Bible. Armchair quarterbacking to the point of giving up isn’t useful–to us or to God.

Exodus 17:15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that beating ourselves up for our shortcomings and failures will never help us to glorify You. When we mess up, as we inevitably will, help us to learn the lesson, dust ourselves off, and begin again in You. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 17:16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 17:9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

Commentary says that verse 9 is the first mention of Joshua in the Bible. He is a pretty central character in the Old Testament, so acknowledging this first mention feels appropriate. He spends his life serving God and Moses, though, of course, he messes up along the way. He is human after all.

Exodus 17:10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 

Verse 12, for me, supports the fact that God created us for community, that He did not intend for us to carry the burdens of life alone. He intends for us to have others by our side–family, friends who are like family–to help us when our strength is waning. Aaron and Hur are part of that community for Moses. Moses is part of that community for Joshua.

Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the two big takeaways from today’s reading: 1. You created us to praise You, to serve You, but we are human and we will mess up along the way. Thank You for loving us anyway. 2. You created us for community–community by birth, by our own creation, or a combination of the two. Thank You. Help us to find our community and to stand in the gap for each other daily. Amen.

Exodus 17:12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 17:5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

I believe that verse 7 is the heart of the Israelites’ problem during the exodus: “Is the Lord among us or not?” Perhaps they thought that life would be easy if the Lord led them out of Egypt, that a life “with the Lord” meant a life without worry or stress. Clearly, that’s not the way God works.

Exodus 17: 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 

That process of wrestling with our faith is one that we all go through, it’s that process of going from the faith of our parents to the faith we embrace. “Is God with me as He promised? And if He IS, why does this situation still feel so bad/scary/painful/etc?” The process of resolving those questions is a difficult one, but it leads to a more personal, active faith. 

Exodus 17:7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Precious Savior, the question of whether or not You are with us is one that we will all face at one time or another. Thank You for Your love and compassion as we wrestle with such a difficult, personal question. Thank You for Your fierce love, even in our struggle. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 17:8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.

Have a blessed day.