Monthly Archives: February 2013

February 8

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Exodus 19-21

In the next few chapters God is going to lay down the law. What a sight it must have been when God descended on that mountain. Trumpets blaring, fire, smoke. No wonder the Israelites were afraid… as they should. They were standing before a Holy God.

I wonder if we haven’t lost that awe. Do we understand that God is Holy, Holy, Holy? So often we portray him as a benevolent buddy, a giver of gifts, a doting father. His humanness in the form of Jesus certainly has made Him more approachable than the God the Israelites saw on the mountain. But let’s not forget that He is first of all Holy.

The laws He gave Moses prove His holy standard for living. Who can say they have never broken at least one of them? Not me. Do we have a healthy fear of Him when we disobey?

Forgive my soap-box and I know there are saints who disagree with me but I think we are becoming way to casual in our worship of a Holy God. As we read these laws God spelled out for the Israelites, let’s do so before His Holiness.

Dear Father, Thank you that Jesus called us His brothers. And for inviting us to come boldly to your throne with what is on our hearts. Thank you for being a Father, a brother, a friend. You are a personal, intimate God and I am so glad you live in my heart. But help me not to forget that You are Holy and demand holiness in me. Help me not become so familiar with You that I forget Your standard of living. I bow before you today and, with the angels cry… Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty.

February 7

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Exodus 16-18

I imagine Moses spoke excitedly when telling his father-in-law how God was working through and for Israel. Battles won. Seas crossed. Manna and quail. So much to tell.

Here is another example of God revealing his purpose behind choosing Israel to reveal himself. Jethro said, after hearing what God had done, that now he knew the Lord is greater than all other gods.

Then Jethro gave Moses some great advice and as I read it this morning I’m wondering if he’s not saying the same to some of us. Jethro told Moses… you can’t do everything. You’ll wear yourself out. Let other people serve.

Years ago, in a church where I was a member I was the church secretary, secretary of the governing board, Sunday School teacher, quiz coach, president of the ladies prayer fellowship, I sat on the pre-school board and sang in the choir. I did that all while trying to get my masters degree.

Needless to say I was burning out quickly. I had to let go of much of that. What I humbly discovered is that those who replaced me were awesome. The ladies group flourished under new leadership. The pre-school board tried some new and wonderful things with the fresh ideas of the one who filled my position. As I began to step back others stepped forward. And what I realized is that I had been preventing others from serving the Lord and using their gifts.

Here’s another thought from today’s scripture. I’ve shared that my family is adjusting to life without two very precious men. Our recent losses have been hard. But I am reminded today that we don’t need to carry the burden alone. We shouldn’t. Even though the loss is personal, each of us need to allow others to help us.

In America, if you meet someone… even a stranger… on the street and they greet you with, “Hello. How are you?” the acceptable response is to say, “Fine, thank you. How about you?” to which they reply, “Fine”.

But if a friend asks and you are hurting or facing a tough decision it’s ok to say, “I’m hurting. Please pray for me.”

When I ask a friend to pray for me it helps me, of course, but it also allows that friend to answer God’s call for ministry. If I try to handle this on my own I’ll be overwhelmed. I take the chance of falling into a depression. I’ll be less able to serve God myself.

So like Moses, I need to let go a little. I need to humble myself and admit I can’t do it all. Whether it’s cutting back on even good activities, or asking someone to pray for me, I might need to make some changes.

Lord, thank you for recording Jethro’s advice to Moses. Help us to recognize when our burdens become too heavy to handle alone. Help us to let go when we need to let go. Help us to reach out to our Christian friends and allow them to minister to us. And help us to be ready to help someone else when the opportunity arises.

February 6

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Exodus 13-15

As we read together the account of Israel’s time in the desert we will see times of great victories and times of great disobedience. Remember Israel was chosen by God… not because He loved them better than He loved other people. He didn’t choose them to bless them for their sakes. He chose them to reveal Himself to the world. 13:4 is one of the many times God explains why He is working through Israel. “I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know I am the Lord.”

So the Jews walked across a dry Red Sea but the same waters drowned the Egyptians. Not a Jew was lost and not an Egyptian survived. And God could not be denied.

After that amazing rescue the Israelites had no trouble believing God was who he said he was. 14:31 says they feared the Lord and put their trust in Moses. They believed God was on their side and would get them to the Promised Land.

Three days later… seventy-two short hours later those same Israelites are grumbling against Moses because they were thirsty. They couldn’t find any drinking water in the desert. Were they really that fickle that one day they trust God and the next they don’t?

Sometimes it’s easier to trust God with the big picture than it is to trust Him with the details. As Christians we trust Him with our eternal home, we believe He is faithful to the end.

Yet we find ourselves worrying about the every day things. Not enough money to pay bills. A frightening medical diagnosis. A struggling relationship. A project at work or school.

We trust God with our future but can we trust Him with the day… or the minute? God provided water for the Israelites that day in the desert. And He promises to supply us with all our needs according to His riches.

There’s a song I like that says… when you come to the place where I’m all you have, You’ll find I’m all you need.

So can God be trusted with what you are going through today? Absolutely. He wants you to know He can be trusted. Remember, a sparrow doesn’t fall to the ground without God seeing it happen. And you are so much more precious to him than a sparrow.

Father, thank you for supplying water for the Israelites in the desert and showing us your great care for your people. Help us to give you what is worrying us right now, this minute. Help us to trust you with today.

February 5

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Exodus 10-12

So finally after 430 years in Egypt Israel’s family is going home. They were free. God had seen the blood on the doorposts and spared them. They weren’t sure where they were going but they had faith in God to lead them.

Yes, they left some comforts in Egypt. Yes, they left some friends there. But where they were going was so much better.

And they were going because of the blood on the doorposts. They didn’t get a free pass just because they were Jewish. Their salvation didn’t come because they were kind or gave generously to the local United Fund. They weren’t spared because their brother obeyed. Salvation came only to the ones who covered their doorposts with the blood of the sacrifice.

I bet you know where I am going with this. Jesus is our sacrifice. He shed His blood and demands that we cover the entrance to our hearts with it. There is one salvation. And it’s through the precious blood of Jesus.

I don’t know why you read this post today. And I don’t know where you stand before God. But if you have not asked God to forgive you, if you have not accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus’ blood, I pray you’ll do that today. Yes, there might have to be some things change in your life. And yes, it’s a little scary to begin a new journey. But I promise if you do, where you are going… and the the road you will travel with the Lord by your side is so much better than what you have today.

I am praying for you.

February 4

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Exodus 7:14-9:35

I’ve often wondered how the magicians could perform some of the same miracles Moses and Aaron did. How were their rods turned to snakes and back? How could they turn water into blood or make frogs come up on the land? I vaguely remember someone explaining it once but I forget.

Sitting here this morning I am reminded that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. He wants to look like God so he can fool us into believing him.

Satan can enter a person and prompt him or her to do good things, say things that sound like Scripture, lead churches or charities or nations and so look like a Christian that even Christians are fooled. The angel of light “enlightens”  his followers who begin to question Scripture’s authenticity on so called scientific findings or intellectual reasoning:

“God didn’t really complete creation in six twenty-four hour days”. “Scripture was compiled by men so we can’t believe it is infallible”. “Jesus wasn’t really born of a virgin nor was he really God. He was a good man, a prophet”. “A loving God wouldn’t send someone to hell”. “We all worship the same God, don’t we?”

I could go on. But God is saying to me to beware of the angel of light. He can look like the truth if I don’t know what the Truth really is. He might be able to fool Pharaoh by turning water into blood. But he’s still the enemy whose only goal is to take me to hell with him.

Lord, give us discernment. Help us to recognize the angel of light and reject him on the basis of Your Truth. Keep us grounded in Your Word. And help us to stand firm.

February 3

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Exodus 4:18-7:13, I Chronicles 6:1-4

When you read this Scripture today were you bothered by the fact that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart? The way it reads sounds like God might have a “harden heart” button He can push at will. Is that what happened here?

Here’s what I think I know about God. He loves you. He loved Pharaoh and would like to have had a different story recorded here. If things had been different we might read about a king who recognized the One True God and willingly allowed the Israelites to go home. But since God knew the end from the beginning He told Moses that Pharaoh would reject all the signs and each time he did, his heart would grow a little harder toward God.

So did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Of course He did. Scripture says so. But it wasn’t against Pharaoh’s will. It WAS Pharaoh’s will… his choice to reject God.

God didn’t make Pharaoh reject Him. That would not be consistent with the God who so loved the world. But as created beings with the ability to choose, God created pliable hearts. The lesson we can learn from Pharaoh is this: If we respond to God our hearts remain pliable. We are convicted of sin and we repent. Our pliable hearts can nearly burst with joy just by praising the One who forgives. God can tug at our pliable hearts and we obey.

But if we reject God, if we ignore guilt over sin, our pliable hearts become hardened. That’s just the way we were created. And with each denial of God’s Truth our hearts grow harder still.

We, like Pharaoh, run the danger of allowing our hearts to become so hard we no longer fear God.

I hope you are going to go to church today where the gospel is preached, where Christians gather to worship, and where you can re-charge to continue God’s work this week. As we gather, let’s do so with pliable hearts. And if there is some hardening going on, I pray that we will allow God to do some heart surgery right there in the pew!

February 2

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Exodus 1-4:17

Oh Moses.  History has remembered you as a great leader, a faithful saint. But you were a coward, weren’t you? You tried to talk God out of His plan five different ways, even pleading with God to please send someone else to do it!

But in the end Moses was obedient and we know the nation of Israel gained their freedom through him. God took an insecure, hot-headed, flawed man and because he was obedient, brought his people to the promised land.

Have you ever argued with God? Have I? It probably didn’t sound exactly like the conversation between Moses and God. It probably was more like God laid a person on your heart. You had the thought of reaching out to that person but you pushed the thought aside, thinking you wouldn’t know what to say. Maybe it’s a change of address or career change. Maybe it’s teaching Sunday School or writing a blog. And each time God plants that idea in our heads, instead of praying about it and obeying we, like Moses say… please send someone else. Who am I to lead? What have I to say? What about my past sins? People would think I’m a hypocrite.

God is saying to us… I will help you speak and teach you what to say. He said that to Moses. He says that to me. And I’m thinking He’s saying that to you, too.

Father in Heaven, help us to recognize your prompting and give us the courage to obey. You promised to help us speak and teach us what to say. We are going to hold you to that. Go with us as we listen to your voice and go where you want us to go, do what you want us to do.

February 1

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Genesis 47:13-50:26

Every time I read this passage I am struck by what occurred between the brothers after their father Israel died. They had lived for years in Egypt with Joseph. Their brother protected them and cared for them. But somewhere in their hearts they still felt guilty for mistreating Joseph in the past and were afraid his kindness to them was merely for their father’s sake.

What Joseph says to them after they bury Israel is something I am reminded of during tough times. They had meant to harm Joseph but God had another plan. God took Joseph’s captivity, used Joseph’s obedience, and provided salvation for Joseph’s family.

God didn’t make the brothers sin that day they threw Joseph in the well. That is not consistent with his holiness. But because the brothers sinned and because Joseph remained faithful, God was able to use the situation to bring about good.

We make choices every day. Sometimes we choose to sin. Sometimes we choose obedience. And even if I am going through a difficulty not of my choosing, I want to remain faithful like Joseph did.

It is then, and only then God can accomplish something good out of the pain.

God, my heart is hurting. May you find me faithful and allow you to use these painful circumstances to reach someone for Jesus’ sake.