11.2.07 RE:ading – Exodus 4:1-17
RE:flect
When people are looking to find faith—you can usually see God working in their lives. What do I mean? I think if a person is genuinely using all they resources they can to “get to know God” or to “give Jesus a chance” –that God will be working through other Christians to get his message (his word to them). Sometimes we can get caught up in the speaker (prophet), the method (circumstances and/or miracles) and miss the point... the message: God’s very words.
The Israelite people were looking for God and crying out to him for deliverance (Exodus 3:7-8). We find that God had indeed heard them, noticed them, and he DESIRED to deliver them (he wants to deliver and save them). And because of this level of existing faith, or longing for faith, God gives Moses “signs” (miracles) that will help the Hebrews believe that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has appeared to them.
Pharaoh and his court knew not the Hebrew God. The new King had forgotten Joseph, and probably had forgotten Joseph’s God (probably seen to the Egyptians as a nice tribal god of the
So, should we necessarily be discouraged that not everyone sees what we see, understands what we understand? Does it REALLY come as a surprise to you that not everyone in church and out of church is a genuine seeker of truth and the ONE TRUE GOD? Really? Shouldn’t we surprised when there are NO Pharaoh’s in our life? When everyone we hang out with, everyone that we come in contact with, everyone that we invest our time with are like the Hebrews and not like the Pharaoh.
I think we will find that we are to be like Moses here in one way: we are to bring comfort, hope and the good news of deliverance to those longing for it (from the prison of their sins, sinful habits, and of Satan), and we are to bring truth and proclaim what is absolute to those not necessarily seeking after God, so that even through their ignorance, or willful rebellion—the God of heaven and earth maybe glorified, and his words announced to all.
RE:act
Think for about 5 minutes today (ask God to help you). Pray for yourself for about a minute, let God clear your mind and your thoughts. Then spend 3-4 minutes working on a list of the “Hebrews” and the “Egyptians” in your life. Who are those who you are currently in a relationship with, or forming one, because God is using you to bring the message of deliverance to them.
Take the other half of the time writing down the Egyptians of your life that are not looking for truth, God, or anything. Pray for them—yes—but realize that even God can use the rebellion of some for his purposes as well – perhaps you are also going to be used in a small way to show your school that God is real, is compassionate, full of mercy, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Lord, I a humbled today by your willingness to use small humans to do your work. To use a murderer, shepherd, run-away in the shadows of a dessert to become the major player in the largest even of the Old Testament.
Lord, I am not seeking anything of importance unless you wish to use me for something larger than my life.
Lord, I am seeking to be used by you to be like Moses and help those who feel oppressed and need deliverance hear your soothing words of relief. Your words are like honey to them.
Lord, I am also seeking to be used to proclaim truth, absolutes and holiness in a culture that is not seeking after finding you. Please, also use me to be your prophet to speak to those who would puff themselves up. It may mean that 90% of my school rejects me. It may mean that many will not understand me. It may mean sitting at the “loser” table at lunch.
Lord, you are my God. My life and worth are in you. If I need to loose everything but you to truly learn to be content with you—take it, it is yours.
Lord, you are my god. My life is better with you. Please use what I DO have to be of benefit to your kingdom and my role in it.
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