Exodus Day 2

Read Exodus 5 - 8 (on-line)

Today's Devotion: Ex 5:17 - 6:1

Context: Moses and Aaron have gone to Pharaoh for the first time to ask that the Israelites be freed to celebrate a festival in the desert. Pharaoh refused and he made the work harder for the Israeli slaves by causing them to search the desert for straw instead of having it provided so they could make bricks.

Text:

17 Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."

22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

1 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." (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

I wonder if Moses thought that all he would have to do is ask Pharaoh to release the slaves and it would be done? Since Moses was directly following His orders, it should be easy, right?

It is really easy to lose heart when things don't go the way you expect. You can be convinced that God wants you to do something (regardless of what it is), and therefore expect all to go well. When it doesn't, I often question my motivation -- was it really God, or was it just some half-baked idea I dreamed up? Or worse, am I doing something totally wrong and God has put a wall in my path to show me that I need to change my ways?

Each time Moses failed to get the Israelites released, he heard directly from God that he should return. It's hard to deny that calling. We seldom have the luxury of hearing God's words audibly...how do you know when to keep pushing and when to stop? How can you be sure that you are truly doing God's will?