I have the great privilege of discipling a good friend of mine. He just finished Genesis and is now starting Exodus so I thought I would do some reading in Exodus to help as he walks through it. Here are some things I saw in the first four chapters.
1:10-11 - The way their enemy dealt with his fear of them being free was to enslave them and oppress them. Isn't that the same way the enemy of our souls deals with the prospect of us being free? If he even sense for a second that someone is about to find the freedom that Jesus promises he jumps on you with both feet to enslave you in a bad relationship, a destructive habit or a ton of good things that distract you from pursuing Jesus. He adds one thing after another after another to try to so overwhelm and oppress you that you feel like you can't even breathe. The beauty of God is that if we will commit to walking even while we are hit in the face with wave after wave God has promised to see us through. He made a promise to be the One who will complete any good work He begins in us. If you see the light of freedom know that it will not get easier because the enemy will attack, but walk with great determination in the faith that God will indeed see you through no matter what. Expect the waves and never let them stop you.
3:21 - God can make even our enemies favorably disposed towards us.
4:2 - God and Moses are having this back and forth discussion. God wants Moses to go help free people and Moses doesn't want to have anything to do with it. One of the excuses that Moses uses is that people won't believe him or follow him and God asks Moses, "What is that in your hand?" God then uses what was already in Moses hand (a shepherd's staff) to help Moses understand that God is in control and also as a tool to help Moses succeed. I think one of the big lessons here is that God is not limited by our resources. God can and will use whatever we have for His purposes. I wonder what is in your hand right now? Instead of looking for something more you think you need to do whatever God has asked you to do, what do you have in your hand that is enough for you to begin to follow God right now? Do you have a job? A marriage? A friendship? An office? 5 minutes? What do you already have that you should be using for God instead of waiting for God to give you more? There is a powerful teaching all throughout the New Testament that says we are responsible for what we do with what we currently have.
4:14 - Even while God and Moses are talking, God has already sent for Aaron to come and help Moses. God is working before He speaks to you and you and I should always remember that. God doesn't come up with the plan as we meet with Him. He already has other parts moving and working to accomplish His plan. I forget that so often. God is working in more than just me and I need to take great encouragement in that. Just because I don't know what is next, doesn't mean God doesn't.
4:20 - The staff from earlier is now called "the staff of God." What is in your hand right now that should be called the "of God?"
4:24-26 - Moses failed to bring the covenant (faith) to his own sons. That is really what this is about. Moses had not circumcised his sons according to the covenant handed to Abraham and all of his descendants and God almost kills Moses because of it. Have you handed your kids the covenant that Jesus has made with you?
4:31 - "And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped." People need to know that God cares AND that He sees their circumstances. We need to know that God sees what is really happening and that He cares enough to do something about it.
Love,
Michael
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