Our God Gives Clear & Specific Directions to Live By!

Reading:  Exodus 20 - 23
My Verse:  "Behold I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.  Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do  not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him" (23:20, 21).

LORD God, here is where You give the Israelites their marching orders so to speak.  You start off with the basic ten commandments that cover all of ones life, then follow with very specific detailed directions as to how to deal with various issues.  It is really an amazing guide for living.  All law makers and leaders should study and know these three chapters of the Bible! 

The wonderful thing is that You do not expect Your people to be totally on their own.  After giving these very specific directions You tell Your people that You will send an angel to "guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared."  That is so like You LORD God.  You are so loving, so compassionate. 

This angel seems to have appeared visibly several times.  Joshua 5:13-15 gives a beautiful visual of this angel.  "a Man stood near him with His drawn sword in His hand."  This "Man" said he was "Prince of the LORD's host."  He is also referred to  in Exodus 33:2.  It is so beautiful when angels are spoken of in the Bible. It is so reassuring to know that they really are there to guard and guide us.

I like how this verse speaks to our part in our walk with You LORD God.  We are admonished to "pay careful attention to him."  Yes, You provide us with very clear directions in the Bible as to how we are to live.  You also provide angels to help us along the way.  Today we even have the Holy Spirit indwelling us to help us.  And yet we do have to respond to this guidance.  We must do our part to pay attention.  I Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:17.  "Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the LORD is."

We must be obedient, "obey his voice."  Throughout Your Word, LORD God You admonish us to obey Your Holy Word.  "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD" (Proverbs 16:20).  Revelation 1:3 tells us. "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

You really do provide us with all that we need and yet many of us live  bankrupt lives because we do not follow through.  We do not "pay attention to him and obey his voice."  Thank You, LORD God for this lesson.  Thank You for Your sufficiency!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Holy Holy Holy, Is Our LORD God!

Reading:  Exodus 19
My Verse:  "So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified them [set them apart for God], and they washed their clothes" (19:14).


This chapter impresses upon me the incredible holiness of You, LORD God!

You want to show Yourself at least in part to the people, to impress on them that You are indeed speaking to them through Moses.  You want the people to realize that Moses is Your chosen leader.  Yet, You realize the inablity of the Israelites to stand up to You - to Your Holiness.  You know the vast distance between the spiritual condition of the people and Your Holy Self!  So You have Moses prepare the people by setting up boundaries for them.  "And you shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, Take heed that you go not up into the mountain or touch the border of it.  Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death" (19:12).

Dear LORD God You are so specific here and clear as to what the boundaries of the Israelites are.  They know exactly what they can or cannot do in Your holy presence.  You even give them plenty of time to prepare themselves for coming into Your holy presence - three days.  Moses sanctifies them.  They washed their clothes.

Then You appear!  "The third morning there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.  Then Moses brought the people from  the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, for the LORD descended upon it in fire, its smoke ascended like that of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.  As the trumpet blast grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with a voice"(19:16-19).  How incredible it must have been to be there! 

We so often forget just WHO You are LORD God.  It is easy for me to become a bit careless in my thinking of You.  Forgive me.  I am brought back to Tozer's description in The Knowledge of the Holy of our inability to fully understand Your holiness.  "Quite literally a new channel must be cut through the desert of our minds to allow the sweet waters of truth that will heal our great sickness to flow in.  God's holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered.  We know nothing like the divine holiness.  It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable.  The natural man is blind to it.  He may fear God's power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine."  So important that I remember You are The Almighty and Holy God!

I like too the reference to washing their clothes as a part of preparing themselves for coming into Your presence.  I have always felt that as Your disciple and follower going to church is a form of coming into Your presence.  I like to dress nicely because I am going to worship You.  This reference speaks to that for me.  I know that in today's age many think it not cool to do so. But I like "preparing" myself to come into Your presence. 

Thank You, Holy LORD God for loving me and enabling me to want to come into Your Holy presence!

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name" (Psalm 103:1).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

Help From Unexpected Sources!

Reading:  Exodus 18
My Verse:    "Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.  You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you.  You are not able to do it alone" (18:17,18).

I truly like this passage about Jethro, Moses' father-in-law.  You show us here a wonderful lesson, LORD God - a lesson that we all need to take to heart.  For You give us guidance and help in many unexpected ways.  Too many think they need to be doing it all, and by doing so burn themselves out needlessly. This not Your plan for us.

Here Moses is doing what he feels he needs to do for the Israelites.  He is trying to meet their every need.  He does not realize that what he is doing is impossible and unnecessary.  It takes an outsider to see the situation for what it is and advise Moses accordingly.

Moses is trying to meet with each and every person that has a problem.  Jethro tells him that he can't do this - it is too much, "you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you." Jethro then tells Moses what to do.  He tells him to include the people in this task - choose wise and good men to help him.  "Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you!  You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do" (18:19,20).  In other words Moses will still be the authority and teacher of God's statutes and laws but he doesn't need to do it alone.  Jethro goes on. "Moreover, look for able men from all the people,, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.  And let them judge the people at all times.  Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves.  So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you" (18:21,22).

Moses, wisely took the advice of Jethro and did accordingly.  What Moses was doing was not only hard on himself but on the people as well, because he was simply unable to deal with each and every one of the problems.  Much time was wasted in the waiting and most likely many problems were not dealt with.  Once Moses set the system up people were able to get on with their lives in a much more efficient way.  As Jethro said. "If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace" (18:23).

This story reminds me LORD God of Your all sufficient grace.  It reminds me that You LORD God are a God of order. You tell us in I Corinthians 14:40. "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."  So when we feel like throwing up our hands and quitting or feel oppressed by the demands on us we need to look to You and be open to Your leading and guidance.  We don't need to let ourselves be burned out.  You will provide us the help we need - and often in the most unexpected ways!

Help me today to keep my eyes and ears open to those unexpected helping hands You send my way!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Murmuring Against God Almighty!

Reading:  Exodus 16, 17
My Verse:  "Your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD" (16:8b).

Here the Israelites complain and complain against Moses and Aaron.  They phrase their complaints in many different ways and point to their many different needs but always, as Moses points out here the complaining- the murmuring is not against Moses and Aaron but it is against You, LORD God.

First they complain about lack of water in 15:24 and again in 17:2.  Through Moses You provide water.  Then they complain for lack of food in 16:2.3.  Through Moses you provide manna and fowl.  They are attacked by the Amalakites in 17:8.  Again through Moses You provide them victory in battle. They severely and repeatedly "tempted and tried the patience of the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us or not?" (17:7).

This is such an important lesson, LORD God. It is always against You that we murmur. Though we try to focus our complaining and whining on either those around us or our circumstances it is always ultimately against You that we fret against.  For You, LORD God are omniscient - You know all.  You, LORD God are almighty - able to do all.  You, LORD God love us more than we can ever understand. 

Again here is that tension of our part vs Your part - our response to the testing, to the difficulty and Your part in allowing the testing and enabling us to deal with the trial.  This brings me back to the story of Joseph when he used the opportunity provided him to get himself out of jail.  He trusted You but yet he did not sit back and do nothing.  So I am responsible to act.  I need to use the will You gave me to do that which is right in Your eyes. I need to use the abilities You have given me to live the life You would have me to live in this world.

Oh, LORD God, I cannot even count the times I have murmured against You!  I used to read this passage and wonder at the Israelites - at their seeming blindness to the way You provided for them.  And yet, I find that I do the very same.  Like the Isaelites in the wilderness I quickly forget how You provide for me, how You have blessed me, how You have saved me!

I need to be more careful in how I live.  I need to be more specific and accurate in determining what the problem is that I am dealing with and not just carelessly moan and groan about my situation.  Oh, LORD God You tell us to live purposefully and accurately as much as we are able.

"Look carefully then how you walk!  Live purposefully and worthily and accurately,  not as the unwise and witless, but as wise" (Ephesians 5:15).

"Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the LORD is" (Ephesians 5:17).

Forgive me my murmurings, LORD God.  Thank You for this lesson.  Help me, I pray, to look to You with a heart of thanksgiving.  Help me to trust that You will bring me through each and every trial.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

Growing Confident In God's Provision!

Reading:  Exodus 14,15
My Verse:  "And Moses said to the people, Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.  For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent" (14:13,14).

Wow!  Moses has come a long way here!  The Israelites are terrified.  The Egyptian army is in hot pursuit and have arrived right there on the heels of the Israelites.  The Israelites are so sure they are going to die!  ". . . the Israelites were exceedingly frightened and cried out to the Lord.  . . . Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?  Why have you treated us this way and brought us out of Egypt?"  Moses is able at this point to trust fully in You, LORD God.  He knows now after all the plagues You brought on the Egyptians - You do provide for Your own.  He is able with full confidence to tell his people that You will fight for  them.  In fact nothing was required of them, they had only to be silent.  You would provide for their deliverance!

That is what it is all about, isn't it LORD God?  You want us to grow confident in You.  You want us to be able when we are in dire circumstances - to say like Moses that You will provide!  You will deliver us. 

And did You deliver the Israelites!  I never tire of reading about the most incredible way You provided for the Israelites.  First, the way You moved the cloud between the Egyptian army and the Israelites.  The way you had the very same Cloud confuse the Egyptians and yet provide light for the Israelites.  Then opening up the sea to make a dry walkway for the Israelites.  Then bringing back to sea to wipe out the entire Egyptian army!  Pretty action packed and all so miraculous! There could be no doubt that all this was of You, Almighty God!

Moses and the Israelites were able to sing a wonderful song of triumph.

"I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously;
   the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The LORD is my strength and my song,
   and He has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
   my father's God, and I will exalt Him.
The LORD is a man of war;
   the LORD is his name." (15:1-3)

Oh, how sweet that must have been for You, LORD God - to hear Your people singing this song to You.  Miriam and the other women even danced with the tambourines as they sang:

"Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea." (15:21).

And so You continue to provide for us.  It may not be in such a visible way but it is grand and glorious nevertheless.  And whenever You do bring us through a difficulty we grow more confident in You, in Your great love for us.

Thank You for this grand story of Your love and provision for Your own!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!



 

God's Grand Purposes!

Reading:  Exodus 7 - 12
My Verse:  "But for this very purpose have I let you live, that I might show you My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth" (9:16).

It is quite fascinating to reread these chapters - to see how the plagues were progressive.  LORD God even in this seeming chaos You had a plan.  Even though You knew Pharoah's stubborn heart, You started the plagues off easy - You were allowing him, Pharoah, every opportunity to repent, to submit to You.  Here in the seventh plague of Hail you tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.  For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.  For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth"(9:14,15).  Here You are telling Pharoah that You could have wiped him out long ago because You are God Almighty!  You are being merciful and yet if he does not respond because of his stubborn heart You will use his stubborness - his life-  for Your grand purposes.  You will show all the earth that You alone are God, "there is none like me in all the earth."

What a thought!  That we are each of us a part of Your grand plan, Your grand purposes!  You use us whether we submit to You or not as You do with Pharaoh here.

We struggle with that tension  between our free will and Your All Knowing.  That tension between our need to respond to You and yet our inability to respond to You without Your help and intervention.  "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44).  You love us.  You call us.  It is up to us to respond when You give us that ability.  "And so each of us shall give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:12).

As I read about the plagues, I see that Pharaoh had many opportunities to respond to You.  His own
magicians said to Pharaoh. "This is the finger of God!" (8:19)  Even Pharaoh's own people begged him to let the Israelites go.  "How long shall this man be a snare to us?  Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God; do you not yet understand and know that Egypt is destroyed?" (10:7).  But Pharaoh still hardened his heart to You, LORD God.

It is easy to look at this and think, "What was he thinking?"  And yet how often have we been there?  How often have we refused to respond to Your tug on our hearts, Your guidance in some direction we don't want to go? 

Oh, LORD God, thank You for this lesson.  Help me to be ever soft and responsive to what You have to teach me in Your Word.  Help me to realize You are Almighty God.  You are a loving, compassionate God.  I am a part of Your grand purposes and in that knowledge I can be assured that whatever passes this day -  I am safe in Your care.

"The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life."  Psalm 121:7

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

How Do We Respond To Adversity?

Reading:  Exodus 5 - 7
My Verse:  "Moses told this to the Israelites, but they refused to listen to Moses because of their impatience and anguish of spirit and because of their cruel bondage" (6:9).

So the great battle begins - the battle to get the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage.  The story of this event is great,  it is powerful.  You do not do it instantly.  You don't just snap Your fingers and Shazaam! The Israelites are free!  No, it becomes a process.  Things get much harder before they get better and You show that this is all for a purpose.  You use adversity here to show the Israelites and the Egyptians just Who YOU are!

The situation of the Israelites becomes seemingly impossible - their burden is magnified to what seems to be beyond their abilities.  When Moses asks Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out to the wilderness to worship their God, Pharaoh responds. "Who is this LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?  I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."  He, Pharaoh, then decides that the Israelites are not working hard enough and orders that their workload be increased!  He said they were to produce the same amount of bricks but would now need to get their own straw.  When the Israelites told him this was not possible.  He responded, "You are idle, lazy and idle!  That is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD."  Of course the Israelite foremen realized their situation was evil, indeed.  They tell Moses he is only making their lives more miserable.

How often do we find ourselves in such a plight?  How often do we cry out to You oh, LORD God, that our burdens are too great?  We have asked You for respite, for salvation from some awful situation, some awful suffering but the relief does not come. Sometimes, like the situation with the Israelites our situation only gets worse and so, we despair. 

It is very hard to hold onto faith at such times.  It is hard to see You and to see Your love for us in the midst of adversity.  We are so often like the Israelites when they could not see You for their "impatience and anguish of spirit and because of their cruel bondage."  Like the Israelites we will blame the messenger and lament our situation instead of keeping our eyes on You. 

Yet, You had a purpose in all this.  You needed to show the Israelites WHO You were!  You needed them to see that You were Almighty God, able to do all that You say You will do.  For You did tell them, "And, I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that it is I, the LORD Your God, Who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians" (6:7). 

You also had to do a work in the lives of the Egyptians.  You had to prepare them for that day when the Israelites would leave.  You told Moses back in 3:22 that the Israelite women would basically plunder the Egyptians.  "But every woman shall solicit of her neighbor and of her that may be residing at her house jewels and articles of silver and gold, and garments, which you shall put on your sons and daughters, and you shall strip the Egyptians." 

I heard a great lecture this weekend while visiting my son, Ethan's university.  The lecture was about conflict and how we need to look at conflict as a way to reconciliation and reformation.  In the situation of the Israelites their adversity/conflict was leading to something amazing and wonderful.  Adversity/conflict does not have to lead to defeat, it can instead lead us to something far better.

Oh, LORD God help me in times of adversity to not become so focused on the difficulties that I cannot see my way to the solutions, to the growth that comes from the suffering.  You, are a God of love and compassion.  You want what is best for me always!  I need to keep that ever before me!

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!






 

Our LORD God Does Not Give Up On Us!

Reading:  Exodus 4
My Verse:  "But he said, "Oh, my LORD, please send someone else" (4:13).

Dear LORD God, I am forever amazed at how You use Your Word to speak to me where I am - to speak to my need.  I should not be always so amazed but the fact that I am speaks to my little faith.  I keep falling into this cycle of doubt and uncertainty as Moses did here.

You tried so hard to reassure him.  You even performed great miracles just for him to show that it was indeed You, the God of the universe.  You turned his walking stick into a snake then back to his walking stick.  You caused his hand to be "leprous like snow"  then You healed it.  Moses still could not trust You.  You told him, "I will be your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."  Yet after all this Moses still cried to You, "please send someone else."

You, LORD God did grow angry with Moses, "Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses" but even then You did not give up on him.  You basically told him You would provide someone else to be the mouthpiece but he, Moses was still to be the leader.  You were still going to use him even though he did not think he was capable to carry out this great task you set before him.  You did not give up on him.

I heard a wonderful testimony at a ladies luncheon yesterday.  This lady spoke of how she was this very timid, quiet person, who was content to live a very quiet, uneventful ordinary life.  One day she was confronted with Jesus, she accepted Him into her heart and began this journey that lead her far from her quiet contented ordinary life.  It was such a simple story and yet so powerful because it spoke of how You LORD God lead us to live full abundant lives!  You told us in John 10:10, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

How often we must miss out on Your blessings, LORD God!  How often we drag our feet when You want us to step out of our comfort zone to do that which You would have us to do.  You realize this weakness of ours, this reluctance we have to fully trust You because You have provided us in Your Holy Word so many promises that You will carry us through.

"I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13 NIV)

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:29).

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word" (Psalm 119:28 NIV).

"He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way" (Psalm 25:9).

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do  not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 2:6-9).
 
Yes, it is so easy to allow the ugliness around me to drag me down, to make me feel powerless to do anything about it.  Yet, here LORD God You are reminding me that this is not so unusual. Even the greats of the Bible fell into this feeling of despair.  You also show me that You are always there to help us out of this despondency.  You will help us to do what needs to be done when You call us to action.  Thank You for this great lesson - this lesson of how You do not give up on me!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

I AM WHO I AM!

Reading:  Exodus 2,3
My Verse:  "And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you!" (3:14)

Oh, LORD God, You are Who You say You are!  This I can believe!  This I can hang onto when life here gets a bit topsy turvy!  You are unchanging and are "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  Thank You for being my Rock and my Redeemer!

I love all the verses in John where You declare just Who You are!

     "Jesus replied, I AM the bread of life" (John 6:35, 48)

     "Once more Jesus addressed the crowd, He said, I AM the Light of the world, He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark but will have the Light which is Life" (John 8:12).

     "So Jesus said again, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that I Myself Am the Door for the sheep"  (John 10:7).

     "I AM the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved.  He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture"  (John 10:9).

     "I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep" (John 10:11).

     "I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me-"  (John 10:14).

     "Jesus said to her, I AM the Resurrection and the Life.  Whoever believes in Me, although he may die, yet he shall live"  ( John 11;25).

      "Jesus said to him, I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me"  (John 14:6).

     "I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser" (John 15:1).

Reading these verses is like a balm to my soul.  I am reassured.  I am reminded of Whom I serve!
I am truly blessed to belong to the one and only true living God!  Thank You, LORD God for this today.  I needed it!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

God Will Provide a Way!

Reading:  Exodus 1
My Verse:  "But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live"  (1:17).

I have always thought this passage interesting.  It is an important issue.  We are taught by You LORD God to be obedient to those in authority over us.  Yet there are times when because of corruptness and evil those in authority over us command that which is contrary to You and what You stand for - in this particular case the sacredness of human life.  Yet You will see us through such difficult times.

Because the midwives knew You as their LORD, they knew the king's command to kill the Israelite newborn male babies was wrong and so "did not do as the king of Egypt commanded."  It even appears they were deceptive when they told the king the reason they were not obeying was because "the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them." 

I am learning that I have to be careful what I read into things I read in the Bible.  Sometimes I am reading into it what isn't there.  One does not know for sure how the midwives dealt with this.  The narrator is not clear, he seems to be simply making a point here that the midwives did not kill the babies.  They found some technicality that allowed them to not follow the command of the king.  Because they loved You, LORD God, I have to believe that You provided them this way out - a way for them to not kill the newborn male babies.

Then God blessed them for this!  "And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households of their own"  (1:21).  Because of their outstanding behaviour two of the women are even named - Shiphrah and Puah.  This verse seems to indicate that the women previously did not have their own families - either they were unmarried or did not have children.  But You LORD God blessed them with their own families.  Sweet!

This is a really extraordinary event as it reveals something else you would not think about. 
The Israelites were living in an awful time, they had become enslaved and the slavery grew harsher and harsher.  "And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.  They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of works in the field.  All their service was with harshness and severity" (1:13,14).  Yet even amidst the awful slavery, and now this horrendous command from the king, we find there are believers.  These women who did not have their own families were believers in You, LORD God. 

These ladies were just ordinary folk doing their jobs.  They were suddenly put into an most awful spotlight and yet because they loved You, You provided for them.  You lead them through and even blessed them for their exemplary reaction and behavior.

Oh, LORD God, help me today to be as these midwives.  Help me to be so tuned into You that I react to any situation placed before me with a Godly reaction - one that would please You.  Help me to always look up!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

 

God Meant It For Good!

Reading:  Genesis 46 - 50
My Verse:  "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today"  (50:20).

Your purposes are so far beyond our ability to grasp.  We live in such a small and limited space of time and understanding.  You, Almighty LORD God, can even use the evil of others to Your purposes to bring about good for the many.

Power so often corrupts those that gain it.  It is wonderful when one reads of an individual that does not let great power corrupt them.  Joseph here demonstrates this to the end of his life.  His brothers are fearful of him, especially after their father dies they think Joseph will now take out his vengence on them. But this attitude of theirs causes Joseph to again weep.  He is truly Your child LORD God!  He even says to them, "Fear not; for am I in the place of God?"  Then the famous words above.  He knew You.  He knew that You hold us all in the palm of Your hand.  For Your loved ones You use the evil of others to bring about good. 

From the awful rivalry between Jacob and Esau, and then the rivaly and ugliness in Joseph's own family comes the amazing peacemaker.  Joseph against the odds forgives his brothers the awful thing they did to him.  He forgives them and brings peace to the family. He loved You, LORD God and gave himself up to Your leading and guiding.

What a beautiful story.  It brings us to what was done to You. When You were crucified, those in charge did it as an evil thing.  They had no idea that they were only doing what You so ordained.  They meant it for evil but You meant it for good - for the good of the many that would accept Your ultimate sacrifice and be saved.  Praise You, LORD Jesus for loving us so much!

Help me to hold onto this lesson.  Help me to look to You when evil is done.  Help me to not let the ugliness around me drag me down into despair.  Help me to ever look to You - the source of my strength and ability to continue on in this life You place me.

"We are assured and know that all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose" (Romans 8:28).

LORD God You alone are good.  I like what A.W. Tozer says on Your goodness.  "The goodness of God is the drive behind all the blessings He daily bestows upon us.  God created us because He felt good in His heart and he redeemed us for the same reason." 

Thank You, for Your goodness!


Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

A Soft Heart

Reading:  Genesis 42,43,44, 45
My Verse: "Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep.  And he entered his chamber and wept there" (43:30).

This is truly amazing and most wonderful.  Joseph had every reason to be bitter.  He had been through a lot;  sold into slavery by his own brothers, working as a slave for many years, then falsely accused and put into prison, and finally asking someone for help then not getting it until two years later!  Yes, if anyone could have been angry and bitter it was Joseph.  Yet, here he is weeping because he is overwrought with emotion,  not just for his youngest brother but for his family.  Later after Judah makes a mighty plea with Joseph for Benjamin, Joseph again breaks down, and while weeping reveals himself to his brothers.

He could have been arrogant and lorded it over them but he did not.  He could have made them live in fear of him but he does not.  No, instead he tells them to not be afraid.  He says their actions were for God's glory.  "And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life" (45:5).  Later he again says, "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  So it was not you who sent me here, but God" (45:7,8).

Wow!  Oh LORD God to have such a heart!  Only You can give us a soft heart, a heart that is compassionate and loving.  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Exekiel 36:26).

There are so many in this world living with a heart of stone, lifeless and unable to love, unable to be compassionate.  I am reading Shudaku Endo's novel Deep River.  In it he has this well truly evil character.  She is so incredibly heartless and yet she realizes that her life is not what it should be.  She has a yearning for something more.  Her longing is succinctly stated.  "I want to go somewhere, go somewhere in search of something.  Something real, something enduring.  I want to seize hold of life . .."  But she doesn't know how to do that.  Many years later she is still as heartless as ever, as empty as ever.  I know this is just a novel but I believe it reflects the truth of many lives.

LORD God, thank You for saving me from this empty endless searching for something and never finding that elusive something. For we are Your creations.  You made us and put upon us Your stamp.  We know in our inmost being that there is so much more to life that what we see with our eyes. 

Yes, LORD God, thank You for "a new heart."   Help me to have a soft heart like Joseph, a heart that quickly forgives, a heart that is able to give love and receive love.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
 

Opportunities Placed Before Us By God!

Reading:  Genesis 40,41
My Verse:  " Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”  (40: 14,15).

This is interesting in that while Joseph is obviously a devout man, favored by God he does not seem to have the attitude one often sees amongst Christians.  That attitude of, "Oh God will take care of things."  And then sitting back and doing nothing.  No, here Joseph actually uses an opportunity to try to get himself out of the prison.  He doesn't sit back and do nothing.  He of course is careful to live his life before You, LORD God in such a way that pleases You and shows himself to be a Godly man.  But, he also takes advantage of what he sees as opportunities to better his situation.  He acts on those opportunities.

What do I take away from this, LORD God?  Do you place opportunities before me like you did for Joseph?  Do You expect me to grab those opportunities and make the most of them?  Joseph made it seem like such a natural thing to act on the opportunity placed before him.  And yet nothing came from his action for two whole years!  "After two whole years. . . "    So long!  To us that is an eternity!

This is the hard part.  When I do act on what I believe to be an opportunity that you placed before me and nothing seems to comes of it,  how do I keep optimistic?  How do I keep trusting that somehow You will come through?  How does one keep from despairing?  One does not know how Joseph handled that long wait.  Only that after the " two whole years" he was ready as soon as Pharaoh called him.  He obviously did not give up but kept living out his life and doing that which honored You!

I can only assume here that You were there to help Joseph not to despair.  I know that I cannot keep from losing faith on my own.  You have promised that You will keep me, but I do have a part in this.  "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).  You tell us here in your Holy Word that we are to hold on.

You also tell us not to let ourselves be lazy.  "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" (Hebrew 6:12).   Peter tells us that You will provide us all that we need to live as we should but we must "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:7).

Help me LORD God to be as Joseph - remaining faithful to your precepts and yet ever ready to act on opportunities that You place before me and finally to hang onto Your promises.

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!

Flee Sin & Let God Deal!

Reading:  Genesis 36, 37, 38, 39
My Verse:  "But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,  she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house"(39:11,12).

This has been a favorite passage of mine. In fact I have always loved the story of Joseph.  He stands out as such a wonderful witness for what it can be to truly love You, LORD God and live by Your precepts.  Here he flees temptation.  How we need to have this same response to temptations in our own lives!

Earlier Joseph tells Potiphar's wife that not only would it be betraying his master (Potiphar), but it would be sinning against his God.    "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”   Joseph understood Who You were Lord God.  He understood that to commit any sin was to sin against You.  How we need to have this same understanding  and attitude toward sin.  For in the end we all must stand before You, LORD God and answer for ourselves.

Joseph is also not worried here about what the consequences of his fleeing and offending the woman would be.  He lets You, LORD God take care of that.  And You do.  It doesn't seem right that he is thrown into prison and yet you bless him there too.  And you are giving him more experience in management and administration.  You are preparing him for the future when he will practically rule all of Egypt.

No, Joseph could not see the future.  All he could do was deal with each day and moment of each day the best way he knew how..  So it is with us.  I think sometimes I try to over analyze my circumstances and what the possible results of various actions might be.  I need to look to You  and simply fall into Your provision for me.  Makes me think of the "trust" test done at teen camp. This is where you have to fall backward into the arms of your friends trusting that they will be there to catch you.  So You catch us, LORD God!

Thank You for this wonderful lesson of fleeing when sin comes knocking on our door.  We need to flee and let You deal with the consequences!

"We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but one who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him" (1John 5:18).

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!