May 29 - Day 5

Today's reading really struck a chord with me for some reason. The words were leaping off of the page and piercing my heart. Overall, I was inspired again by realizing we must first know WHOSE we are before we can understand WHAT we are to accomplish.

This was first impressed upon me as I read about Moses early days. Exodus 2:11 Moses sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and acts in anger to kill the Egyptian. I don't condone the actions that Moses took, but I'm impressed that Moses still felt this much loyalty to the Hebrew people. He was raised as an Egyptian and granted all the benefits of being a kings son. How easily it would have been for him to mentally view himself as an Egyptian. However the small phrase found in verse 11 sticks out to me " . . . one of his own people." He identified with the Hebrews and never lost focus of WHOSE he was first and the privileges he was granted second. This is important to me today as I struggle with what am I supposed to accomplish in this life? Is it what the title on my business card dictates? There is more work there to be done than I can ever accomplish on my own. And if I do accomplish it all, does it even matter? Certainly God has placed me here for a reason but unless I acknowledge that I'm first a Child of God the earthly advantages he's given me mean nothing. I can easily loose my identity in the distractions of this world Lord, help me maintain my focus and my identity in You!

After his calling in the desert through the Burning Bush, Moses returned to Egypt to follow the Lord's calling. Yet here I gain another application of our obedience to the Lord demonstrated through our actions. Moses knew he'd been called to go and he knew it was the Lord who'd called him. Though he'd argued with the Lord about why and what he should say, He still agreed to go. Step one of obedience. However in Exodus 4:24 we see God ready to kill Moses for not having his son's circumcised. What is that all about? I stumbled over this several times. I can't quite understand it, but I think God is revealing that obedience means actions in all areas of his commands. So surely God talked to Moses and told him to Go... but he also talked to all Hebrews through the covenant with Abraham and told them what he expected. Circumcision was the outward sign of their inward attitude. God expects us to obey in all areas of our life. Not just those things that are comfortable for us or convenient for us. Once God saw that Moses was a "bridegroom of blood" the Lord let him alone. I surely feel proud sometimes that I've decided to follow the Lord's calling in my life. However, I also realize that there are times when I've chosen to not obey or not listen to the full commitment God is asking me to make. I've gone with him on the journey outwardly but my inward commitment hasn't resulted in full obedience. Look around us today. How many of us are demonstrating outward obedience without an inward commitment that is piercing to the soul. If we truly were this way, every aspect of our life would be changed and we'd do things not because they were comfortable, but because they were drawing us closer to His Glory.

Exodus 6:9 - God has just reveled his promise to Moses for the Israelites. Moses hastily delivers this to the Israelites himself... but here it states that they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
I draw two things here for my life...

1. Unless the people around me have the physical needs met, they will be less likely to hear the Spiritual promises that God is revealing to them every day. AND
2. How often do I not hear God's promises because I perceive my needs not to be met? Bringing me back to the definition of a need versus a want. You supply all my needs. Yet it mostly is my "wants" that I choose to let get in the way of receiving your promises. Forgive me, dear Father.

The plagues are one of our children's favorite Bible stories. They like recite the repeated phrase, "let my people go" as it appears in their Children's Bible. When reading these plagues my tendency has been to focus on the hardening of Pharaoh's heart against God. Yet when I read these again today, I started to realize that yes, God did harden Pharaoh's heart but whose benefit was it for? Certainly ultimately it allowed God to reveal his Glory and power. However I started to reflect on the character each successive plague was developing in Moses. Initially upon receiving God's calling in the desert, he tried to explain why he wasn't the right choice. The God took away all of his excuses why he shouldn't go. Then Moses found himself capable but not confident in his ability to represent the Lord. God had to first reveal signs to Moses (a staff turning into a snake, a perfectly healthy hand turning leprous and then being healed.) Moses had to first believe God was all powerful in his own life. Then with each successive plague, God had to help Moses understand that He could not just harden hearts, but also that he was in control of everything. I can almost see Moses' courage and confidence increasing with each successive plague. He was rediscovering God in a whole new light and recognizing what an awesome privilege it is to serve such a powerful God. And God chose Moses personally to accomplish this task. Surely, I may never be called upon to deliver plagues to others. I may never be called upon to deliver slaves from captivity (at least not literally). However, God had chosen me to serve Him and created unique opportunities for me to help set people free from spiritual bondage. These plagues not only strengthened Moses into a fine leader, but they encourage me as well of what an AWESOME and powerful God I serve today.

Finally when Pharaoh did let the people go Exodus 13:18 tells us that the Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle. When I first read this, I thought that that meant that as I'm set free from my sins, I should be ready to fight as well because the world will be against me. I'm sure this is part of the application but not all of it. Because, reading on in Exodus 14 I discovered how the Israelites were "trapped" between the red sea and the approaching Egyptians. They began to grumble an realized that the were in dire straits and were ready to serve the Egyptians all over again. (Did they forget that they were "armed for battle?") Then Moses reassured the people not to be afraid. He wouldn't have been able to say this with confidence unless he knew from previous experience that God was in charge of all things. And He encourages them that "the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." (Ex 14:14) When I read this and contrasted it against Ex 13:18 I realized that we are to be armed for battle but sometimes that means our armor is resting in the Lord's provision for us. As I move into unfamiliar territory following where he is leading me, I must be armed with realizing that my Powerful God is TOTALLY in control of my life. He will protect me... I need only to realize that He is fighting the spiritual battle for my soul all around me as I'm still in Him.

Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to your truths. Now my prayer is that they are coming at me so fast that I'm concerned they'll stay in my head or words on this page rather than being acted out in obedience to you. Help me ingrain these applications into my daily actions so I gain the full benefit of your revelation to me.