Scripture:
Exodus 6:1-13 (NIV)
Exodus 6:1-13 (NIV)
Then the Lord said to
Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand
he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his
country.”
God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. I
appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them. I
also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where
they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the
groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have
remembered my covenant.
“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am
the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I
will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an
outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own
people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the
land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I
will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”
Moses reported this to the Israelites, but
they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
Then the Lord said to
Moses, “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the
Israelites go out of his country.”
But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen
to me, since I speak with faltering lips?”
Now the Lord spoke to
Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh King of Egypt, and he
commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
Devotional:
Shortly after the economy crashed in the mid 2000’s where I
worked developed a no hire policy.
Essentially the only positions that were filled were those that were
deemed necessary. No one was laid off or
let go. If they left they were not
replaced. Slowly departments became even
more understaffed than before. Everyone’s
work load increased. Benefits got worse
and morale dropped.
The Egyptians oppressed the Israelites more and more as time
progressed. The Pharaoh decided to give
them less straw to make the same amount of bricks. Their work load increased and their burdens
got heavier.
Does this sound like you?
Do you feel the weight of work or home weighing down on you? Do you ask God where He is and why all
this? God did hear the Israelite nation
cry out. God saw what the Pharaoh was
doing to them. He heard and He sent
someone to save His people. God was with
the Israel nation as they wandered through the desert for forty years. He provided, guided, and protected His
people.
You are one of His own and He will do the same for you. God is with us today. He will never forsake or leave us.
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) “The Lord himself
goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” God
will always be with us no matter what.
We are not alone and have to lift our burdens by ourselves. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV):
“Come to me, all
you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Share the weight you carry with Jesus. He can hold up much more than you can. He is there waiting to help. Call upon Him…