A Work in Progress….

Exodus 5:5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”

Today’s verses are carrying me dangerously close to impotent anger. Anger because of the unfairness of the Pharaoh–Not only will he not grant Moses and Aaron’s request, but also, he tells his people that the Israelites have too much time on their hands and tells them to intentionally make the plight of the Israelites much harder. Talk about not fair.

Exodus 5:6-7 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. 

Impotence for a number of reasons: All of this happened so very long ago. I have no connection to the Israelites and their plight, so my anger can do nothing for anyone involved. If there is one thing I’m sure of when it comes to my morning prayer and reading time, it’s that God doesn’t want me to stew in impotent anger. So what am I to do with this emotion?

Exodus 5:8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 

Precious Savior, Impotent anger has no place in my relationship with you, and anger is absolutely not an emotion that fills me with Your peace and love. Show me what to do with this emotion. Show me how to use Your word and the feelings it creates in me to bring You praise and glory. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 5:9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”

Today’s scripture has got me thinking about “The Blind Men and the Elephant,” a folktale from India that I often used in the classroom to teach about perspective and remaining aware that “We don’t know what we don’t know.” I encourage you to look it up if you are unfamiliar.

Exodus 5:2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

Like the blind men in the tale, like Pharaoh in this scripture, I am guilty of steadfastly adhering to the belief that my perception IS reality, when, in truth, my perception is just that–MY perception. It shapes my reality, but there is often much that I don’t know.

Exodus 5:3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

Precious Savior, Moses was convinced that he could not do what You were calling him to do. Pharaoh was convinced that getting back to work was all the Israelites needed to do. I know that there are many, many things that I have convinced myself are true, when, in fact, they are just my perceptions. Help me, help each of us, to cling to Your truths and not our faulty perceptions. Amen.

Exodus 5:4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 4:27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 

Three days ago, when I compared Aaron to an albatross around Moses’s neck, a dear friend reminded me that in God’s master plan, Aaron is more than just a back-up plan, more than just an obstacle for Moses. And, honestly, I needed the reminder. I’m bad to look at a situation from only one angle at times.

Exodus 4:28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

In this situation, Aaron is going to prove to be a hindrance to Moses, but in God’s master plan, Aaron has an important role. Isn’t that the truth for all of us? We can be hindrances, stumbling blocks at times, but there is good in us, God can and will and does use us if we allow.

Exodus 4:29-30 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 

God of the misfits, Thank You that You know my faults and flaws, You know the ways in which I can be a hindrance, and yet Yet choose to use me anyway. Help me not to discount others because of their flaws, just as You don’t discount me because of mine. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 4:31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 4:22-23 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

There seems to me to be a hard left turn between verse 23 and verse 24. Interestingly, commentary doesn’t touch on this significant shift. Commentary just explains verse 24, saying, essentially, Moses can’t have God’s protection if he is deliberately outside of God’s will, having not circumcised his first born eight days after birth.

Exodus 4:24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him.

But my question, which I can’t find an answer to, is Why? Why this? Why now? Wasn’t that firstborn son here and uncircumcised when God was talking to Moses from the burning bush? It seems odd to me, and I am by no means a Bible scholar, that Moses negotiates this whole deal with God, is finally on his way to comply, and THEN God tries to kill him because of the uncircumcision. Why?

Exodus 4:25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

Lord of the Seeking, Thank You that I can read and study Your word and ask questions that I don’t understand. Thank You for encouraging me to seek and ask so that I can draw closer to You. Thank You that I am able to draw closer even when I don’t find the answers. Amen.

Exodus 4:26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 4:18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”

I love a good plan. I love that God has laid everything out for Moses–how to convince those who don’t think he’s actually talked to God, specifically what he needs to do next, how Pharaoh will react to his actions. I often say, “I need flashing neon, Lord. Be specific.” That looks like exactly what Moses is getting.

Exodus 4:19 Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” 

But commentary asks, “Did Moses have any idea what he was getting into?” and it’s a question for all of us. Do we know what it means to live a life that honors God? Are we really mindful of Isaiah 55:8–“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”? 

Exodus 4:20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

Precious Savior, Forgive me that I want to equate honoring You with an easy life. They are not the same thing. Thank You that honoring You, following You, living for You means that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Never. Thank You for always making a way in the wilderness of life. Amen.

Exodus 4:21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 4:14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 

I am reminded as I read today’s scripture of a quote that Google attributes to CS Lewis: “There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then. Have it your way.’”

Exodus 4:15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 

Moses seems to be the second one, and God gives him Aaron as a “helper.” If you’re familiar with Exodus, you know Aaron becomes much more of a hindrance, an albatross around Moses’s neck in the coming chapters, BUT this is the place where Moses finally runs out of excuses and commits to God’s path.

Exodus 4:16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 

Precious Savior, Forgive us when we are fully capable of what You are calling us to, but we just don’t want to do it. Help us to move beyond that selfish, self-centered, fearful part of ourselves so that we can be Your hands and feet in this world. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 4:17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 4:1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

I sincerely believe that Moses is asking these questions because he doubts his ability because of the time that he tried to act under his own power (killing the Egyptian) and ended up getting run out of town. Honestly, I think his reaction is perfectly human.

Exodus 4:2-3 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 

Many really good people struggle with doubt for various reasons. And I just can’t believe that God’s response is to sigh and get frustrated. He knows EVERYTHING about us. He knows our doubts and fears. And He loves us fiercely…even when we doubt. (Don’t believe me? Look at what the disciples do in the New Testament and how Jesus reacts—with compassion and reassurance.)

Exodus 4:4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 

God of the Fearful, Thank You that Your response to our doubt is not anger and frustration. Thank You that You meet us where we are and get us to where You need us to be. Help us to love You, trust You enough to move beyond our fear so we can be Your hands and feet. Amen.

Exodus 4:5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 3:20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

The Israelites have been in Egypt for 400 years. Can they even fathom what freedom might be like at this point. They have all been in slavery for generations. I wonder if, as a people, they had given up the hope of being free?

Exodus 3:21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.

The drudgery of a situation you cannot see a solution to and cannot fathom a way out of is beyond difficult. You have to find a way to function just to keep moving forward. But how do you balance the hope of deliverance with the need to function daily in a given situation?

Exodus 3:22a Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. 

Precious Savior, Forgive us when we become so accustomed to a situation that seems hopeless that we–consciously or not–give up hope that You are still working behind the scenes, that You are still making a way in the wilderness, even if we cannot yet perceive it. Help us to hold on to hope. Always. Amen

Exodus 3:22b And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

Have a blessed day.