Day 49: Judges 17 to 21
The time of the judges is coming to an end, and the scripture emphasizes several times that at this time there was no king in Israel and people did whatever they saw fit.
We have a king now (Jesus). Are we still doing what we see fit?
Day 16: Exodus 11-13
“The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
God freed the Israelites from slavery. He finally persuaded Pharaoh to let them go. And when they were freed, he led them.
God led the Israelites.
Just like God led the Israelites from their enslavement, he also leads us from ours. Not only does he free us, but he also shows us the way out. He leads us just like he led them. I find this very comforting.
And what's more is that he set the example for us on how we are to behave with new Christians. Not only should we show them how they can be released, but we should also lead them afterwards. We should show them how to live. He leadeth me/us, and now we lead others.
Day 15: Exodus 5-10
God told Moses to say this to the Israelites:
"I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord." (NRSV)
Here, God finally reveals himself to his people. He lets them know what he will do for them.
But, they don't listen because they can't see past their immediate circumstances.
Yet still, Moses keeps doing what God is asking of him.
I really like this section of text where you see a conversation between The Lord and Moses. God asks Moses to do something. Moses goes and does it. Then Moses returns to God, and they make a new plan about how to get the Israelites released from Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardens his heart (and sometimes the text says that God hardens Pharaoh's heart) and a new plague ensues on the Egyptians.
It's interesting to me the reason why God tells Pharaoh to let his people go. God could have wanted them released to save them from the brutal hand of slavery, to save them from pain. Or he could have wanted them released to show them the Promised Land. Or he could have ordered their release because he is God and Pharaoh is not. But no. It's not any of these reasons. Instead, God wants the Israelites released so that they can worship him.
God wants the Israelites to worship him.
God places an extreme importance on worship. He vies for his people's release so that they can worship him.
Does God contend for our release, too? Does he want to release us from something so that we can worship him? From what does he want to release us? Selfishness? Work? Busyness? Depression? Worry? Immorality? Faithlessness?
This metaphor of God trying to save his people is still at work today. In the end, God wants us to worship him. He wants to release us from our worries, fears, anxieties, and everything else that is keeping us enslaved. He wants us to worship him instead.
When we come to worship him (any time and any place), we should remember that God has released us--he has FREED us--from our prison chains. We can now bow down knowing that he has taken away our pain; he has liberated us. For that, we should worship God.
Day 14: Exodus 1-4
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for a long time. They must have been wondering where God was during this entire time. They groaned and cried out to God. God heard their pleas and remembered his covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Over this past year, I have felt like the Israelites—-groaning and crying out to God, wondering when he was going to listen to my prayers. I prayed and prayed that God would lead us to a new job—and do so quickly—but he didn’t. Shane and I were both in very low emotional states—depressed, actually—-and for the first time we both got on depression medication (I feel a little awkward admitting that, even though I know it’s common.). I wondered when God was going to take care of us (Technically, I know He always was, but I still wondered where his hand was in all this and why he wasn’t answering our prayers for a new job).
Dreams lost.
Faith tested.
Souls scarred.
What comes next for the Israelites—-God calls Moses to delivery them from slavery in Egypt-—offers me hope. While I can’t see into my future, I do know that God is taking care of me. He has already provided us a new job. Now, I’m hopeful that he will start re-casting our dreams, firming our faith, and healing our souls. And just like the Israelites do at the end of Genesis 4, I, too, will believe in God and bow down and worship him.
Side Note: I’m learning more why these Bible stories (and the Old Testament) are important. They can guide us as we live our lives.
Day 12: Genesis 42-45
Tomorrow begins a new journey for the Alexander family. Shane begins preaching at Northcrest Church of Christ. We are really excited about this moment because it marks the end of a very hard time in our lives, yet it also marks a time of hope, excitement, and change. We are really excited about joining this sweet congregation, and we are hopeful about what the Lord will do there with and through us. Thank you, God, for this opportunity. Keep us in your prayers.
On a different note...I love the story of Joseph meeting his brothers in Egypt long after they had sold him into slavery. Joseph must have been quite surprised to see them. He could have sought revenge against them. In fact, in his position as governor, he could have easily had them put to death. But he doesn’t. Instead, he has compassion on them. He shows them love. He shows them forgiveness.
There are a few people in my life to whom I feel bitterness. I was definitely wronged by them, and sometimes I want to dwell in this bitterness. But I can learn from Joseph how to show forgiveness. And what’s important to remember is that the forgiveness didn’t help the brothers; it helped Joseph. Joseph was able to welcome them into his home with an honest and genuine love for them—not a bitterness that no one would have blamed him for holding.
But he didn’t. He forgave. Forgiveness heals.
I, too, should forgive. I need to let go of the past and forgive those people who hurt me. It’s not for them that I need to do this; it’s for me. For my health and well-being. For my relationships with others. Thank you, Joseph, for reminding me of this lesson.
