Today’s Readings
Context
Once again, God comes to the rescue with a baby. This time, it is a baby born to the Israelite slaves, one who is the deliverer of the people - a common figure of Christ.
This baby was different than Christ, though, in that his initial attempt at deliverance failed, and failed miserably. It seems that Moses tried to accomplish his life's work in the power of the flesh and made a mess of it. He ended up fleeing to Midian where he spent the next forty years as a shepherd until he encountered a burning bush.
It was also here that Moses learned a lesson that he later taught to Israel in Numbers 32:23. "Be sure your sin will find you out." He thought he had hidden his sin in the desert sand, but his sin found a way to make itself known and he was forced to flee. When we sin, the consequences are unavoidable.
This baby was different than Christ, though, in that his initial attempt at deliverance failed, and failed miserably. It seems that Moses tried to accomplish his life's work in the power of the flesh and made a mess of it. He ended up fleeing to Midian where he spent the next forty years as a shepherd until he encountered a burning bush.
It was also here that Moses learned a lesson that he later taught to Israel in Numbers 32:23. "Be sure your sin will find you out." He thought he had hidden his sin in the desert sand, but his sin found a way to make itself known and he was forced to flee. When we sin, the consequences are unavoidable.
Devotional - Lesson 101
There are few people more "special" in the Bible than is Moses, the prince of Egypt. Born of a Hebrew peasant woman he was adopted into the Pharaoh's family and he grew up in privilege. God arranged it though so that his mother could also be his caretaker and along the way, one assumes, she told him who he really was. Of course, he knew he didn't look like the Egyptians, but she explained the reasons for that.
And when he understood all that God had done he became filled with a sense that he was destined to do something great. God had put him in the world to accomplish a noble and wonderful task. Why else would he arrange it for a Hebrew boy to grow up as a grandson of Pharaoh? Over the years a sense of pride and destiny grew up and it led him into trouble.
One day he encountered an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he decided to take matters into his own hand. Surely, he must have thought, it was for a time like this that God had put the details of his life together. He struck the man dead and hid his body, but the deed was discovered and Moses ended up in the desert of Midian as a lowly shepherd - for 40 years.
He needed to learn a lesson that is fundamental to the great works of God. Moses had money, power, influence, but he was useless to God because he hadn't learned the lesson. Forty years later he had nothing left of his youthful advantages, but he had learned the lesson and was now able to do what he couldn't do as the Pharaoh's grandson - he delivered Israel from bondage. One lesson made all the difference.
What is that lesson?
As long as we are self-confident and convinced of our own abilities, we are of no value to the kingdom. Our usefulness starts when we learn the lesson that we are 100%, totally, completely, and ultimately dependent on God for everything of spiritual and eternal value.
And when he understood all that God had done he became filled with a sense that he was destined to do something great. God had put him in the world to accomplish a noble and wonderful task. Why else would he arrange it for a Hebrew boy to grow up as a grandson of Pharaoh? Over the years a sense of pride and destiny grew up and it led him into trouble.
One day he encountered an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew slave and he decided to take matters into his own hand. Surely, he must have thought, it was for a time like this that God had put the details of his life together. He struck the man dead and hid his body, but the deed was discovered and Moses ended up in the desert of Midian as a lowly shepherd - for 40 years.
He needed to learn a lesson that is fundamental to the great works of God. Moses had money, power, influence, but he was useless to God because he hadn't learned the lesson. Forty years later he had nothing left of his youthful advantages, but he had learned the lesson and was now able to do what he couldn't do as the Pharaoh's grandson - he delivered Israel from bondage. One lesson made all the difference.
What is that lesson?
We are totally dependent on God and his power and grace for everything.With God's power, you can accomplish great things in the kingdom, making an eternal impact in this world, but without him, you can do nothing of lasting worth or value. When Moses thought he could do great things for God he did nothing but mess everything up. When he thought his useful days were over and he was a no-good shepherd in Midian, then God was ready to use him. To be used by God we must come to realize that we are helpless, hopeless, and useless without him.
As long as we are self-confident and convinced of our own abilities, we are of no value to the kingdom. Our usefulness starts when we learn the lesson that we are 100%, totally, completely, and ultimately dependent on God for everything of spiritual and eternal value.
Father, I thank you for everything. Help me to remember that it is all of you and not of me. I am dependent on you for everything. Break me of any self-confidence and self-reliance that I might depend fully on you.
Think and Pray
Do you depend fully on God for all things or do you depend on yourself?
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