Tag: Israelites

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Give Us This Day – From This Vantage Point

To think that a mere forty days of Lent once seemed an arduous journey.  

Who could have guessed at the outset of Lent 2020 how long the desert sojourning would last? That those forty days would be followed by forty more, and forty more, and so on and so forth until . . . Lent x 10. By my calculations—yes, I’m counting—by the time Easter arrives, it will have been about 400 days since the end of the world as most of us knew it.  

Patience worn out by the journey, anyone? Disgusted with the wretched sickness and death? Starving for face-to-face conversations . . . shared meals . . . meetings that are not virtual? Longing to hold a newborn, tickle a toddler, give your grandparents a hug?  

From this vantage point, we might wonder if the Israelites were too quick to classify their desert complaining as sinful. After all, our friends the psalmists had no problem loudly sharing their every thought with God. If complaint and lament are where we are at, shouldn’t we be honest with God? Trusting that somehow, we know not how, God can take it.  

We know not how? Let’s be honest. Where did we begin this Lenten journey? And with whom? In the desert. With Jesus. He gets it.  

Long and painful as the road to Jerusalem was, his undying words are soothing balm: The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone. Jesus spoke this way, and we believe him.  

Deep into this present and seemingly continuous Lent, Easter is on the horizon. Honest to God, we are not alone. Never have been and never will be.  

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Daily Devotion – Outnumbered

“He took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.” – Exodus 14:7 NASB

Pressured by the results of the plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed to give the Israelites their freedom. Then, he changed his mind. He was so serious that he pursued them with a mighty army, including hundreds of “select chariots.” The size and firepower of that force filled the Israelites with fear. They must have felt overwhelmed! Trapped, they had no other choice but to depend on God.

We all know what it is like to feel overwhelmed, especially when facing strong opposition that is well-equipped, able to draw from abundant resources. Like the Israelites, we may feel vulnerable, inadequate, and hopeless. It’s easy to be discouraged or filled with despair. But these are moments to turn to God, cry out for His wisdom, stand on His Word, believe His promises, and trust Him to provide everything we need.

The Bible teaches that He is the God of miracles. He may allow us to experience seemingly impossible situations, so we learn to depend on Him and not on ourselves.

No matter what you face today, don’t allow fear or doubt to cripple you. Commit the situations you face to God. Then have faith. Believe His Word. He is on your side. With His help, you can be victorious in any situation. That was true for Israel as they faced Pharaoh’s army. And it’s true for you in all of the circumstances you face.

Prayer

Father, I commit these situations to You: ______. I depend on You. Thank You for bringing me peace and victory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Extended Reading

Exodus 14

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Daily Devotion – God’s Strategies

“Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them.” – Exodus 14:3-4 CSB

It seemed like an impossible situation. The Israelites themselves seemed perplexed. Under God’s direction, they appeared to be “wandering around the land in confusion.” What puzzled the Egyptians was that they placed themselves in a situation with no apparent escape.

The Israelites might have looked trapped, but the Egyptians didn’t realize they were following an amazing strategy designed by God. In fact, the Israelites themselves didn’t really understand His plan. After all, they were unarmed, trapped between a great army and a massive body of water. Justifiably, many Israelites were bewildered and afraid. Some wished they had stayed in Egypt. Many were prepared to give up!

No person could have conceived of God’s plan or acted in the way He designed. But His plan worked perfectly and led to a total victory.

The Israelites could not have known that the Egyptians themselves were full of fear (Exodus 15:14-16). They sensed that Israel’s God was special. More than forty years later, the people of Jericho admitted hearing how He “dried up the water of the Red Sea.” They marveled at how God saved His people (Joshua 2:10).

Trust God in the situations you face. Commit your ways to Him. Seek His wisdom. Ask for His strategies. You may not understand His plans, but you can trust Him, even in conditions that seem impossible and with unexpected methods.

Prayer

Father, I commit these situations to You: _______. I seek Your strategies. I will follow You. I trust You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Extended Reading

Exodus 14

//Inspiration Ministeries//

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Daily Devotion – Perception

“So may the Lord be with you, when I let you and your little ones go! Watch out, for evil is on your mind.” – Exodus 10:10 NASB

Moses had no doubts. He had no hidden motivations or secret agendas. He really had heard from God. This was not a personal matter. He simply was delivering God’s message: “Let My people go” (v. 3).

But Pharaoh was not convinced. He accused the Israelites of being lazy (Exodus 5:8). To Pharaoh, Moses’ request was a spiritual attack. His perception was that they were motivated by evil. He thought it represented a rejection of Egypt’s fundamental beliefs. He felt his conclusions were justified, certain he was defending their way of life.

In some ways, Pharaoh was right. This was a spiritual issue, a conflict between the one true God and the gods of Egypt. To agree with Moses’ request was to acknowledge that the Israelites were right that their God was more powerful. To reject Moses’ request continued the argument that the Egyptian gods represented the correct religion.

Similarly, we should not be surprised when people in the world develop their own perceptions of our beliefs about God and the Bible. They think differently about what it means to be born again and follow Jesus. They may project their philosophy and develop explanations that make sense to them. From their point of view, our actions may be contrary to their best interests – even wrong.

Ask God to help you be sure about what you believe. Be confident in your relationship with Him. Stand on His Word. Don’t compromise.

Prayer

Father, I believe that You are the true God. Your ways are right. Help me to be Your ambassador. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Extended Reading

Exodus 10

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Daily Devotion – Ready to Respond

“About this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.” – Exodus 9:18 ESV

Storms can be frightening. But the storm God sent n Egypt was unique. It was a storm “as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.” The lightning was relentless. The winds, intense and overpowering. The hailstones hit with devastating impact. No wonder people were terrified!

There was massive damage: “The hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.” Those heeding God’s warning were spared. But those who refused to listen paid the price.

Pharaoh had not responded to the previous plagues, but this was different. Considering this awe-inspiring demonstration, he finally relented and agreed to let the Israelites go. Eventually, Pharaoh would change his mind, but God was not surprised. Moses also knew that Pharaoh did not fear the Lord. More pressure would be needed.

In light of the troubles they face, how many people make promises to God and seem willing to do anything for relief. Yet many of these people eventually change their minds or forget their promises. They simply aren’t serious about obeying God.

All the while God looks for people who really listen and respond and will do His will. Eventually, Pharaoh became one of those people, but it took more than a violent storm.

Pay attention to God’s warnings. Only make promises that you will keep. Live according to His Word. Listen. Be ready to change, to do His will.

Prayer

Father, I yield my life to You. Forgive my pride. Help me to be ready to obey You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Extended Reading

Exodus 9

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The Bible in a Year – Day 59 – Obligations to God

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Day 59: Obligations to God

As we read Numbers 8-9, Deuteronomy 8, and Psalm 93, Fr. Mike reflects on how the Israelites were expected to celebrate Passover in all circumstances, learned to trust that God would lead them to where they needed to go, and needed to remember God in times of abundance as well as darkness.

Click on link:

https://bibleinayear.fireside.fm/day-59