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Hello, I am a mother of three living with my husband in Africa. I have been blogging for seven years but still find myself very technologically challenged. I make lots of mistakes, but life is a journey. Come join me on the journey!

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Heart Check

The words of Scripture become so much more alive when you look at them in parallel to one's life. As I read in Exodus 15 and 16 these last few days, I was both encouraged and convicted about my attitude.

For those that do not know, we have been temporarily displaced. We are not currently where we had been living and where all of our "stuff" is, but we are also not where we will be. At times, we relate very well to the Israelites as they journeyed through the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land. In spite of our displacement, we have been blessed to see the provision of the Lord.

Unfortunately, I begin to understand more than I would like about the grumbling of the Israelites. As they approached the fifteenth day of the second month since their deliverance, they grumbled for water and food. Last week marked the fifteenth day of the second month since we have been displaced, not misplaced.

The Lord has made some parts of Exodus 16 jump out at me the last couple of days.
1. In verse 4, the Lord was going to give them daily bread to test the people, whether or not they would walk in His instruction. Heart check: am I going to walk in His instruction or rely on my own wisdom and self-reliance?
2. In verse 10, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. Heart check: am I looking to see His glory revealed?
3. In verse 18, each who gathered would have no lack nor excess. Heart check: am I content with what I really need?
4. In verse 20, why did some of the people leave some of the bread until morning? It was already stated that it was not an excess. Did they not trust God to provide the next day? Heart check: am I trusting the Lord to provide daily all I need?
5. In verse 21, they were to gather morning by morning. Later, the writer of Lamentations would write that the Lord's compassions are new every morning Jesus would teach His followers to pray for daily bread. We need spiritual bread every day. Heart check: am I coming to Him every morning for the sustenance that I need for today rather than hoping to rely on yesterday's provision?
6. In verse 23, the Lord gives instructions to provide for the people on the Sabbath. Some of the Israelites relied on their experience rather than the instructions of the Lord? Heart check: am I listening to His instructions daily or am I relying on my experience, even my past experience with Him?
7. In verse 32, Moses tells that they are to put some of the manna into a jar to keep to remind of His provision for His people. Heart check: what do I need to put in a jar to remind me later of His provision during this time?

"Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!"

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!

Once again, I learn so much from a story that I think I know so well. Reading back in Exodus of God calling Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and how it actually plays out is fascinating.

When God began to call Moses in chapter 3, Moses asks why him. God tells him all that He will do and tells him it will not be easy. Since Moses' other attempts had not worked, he tried to give the excuse of not being an eloquent speaker, but God provided an answer to that as well. God who made man's mouth would enable him to speak. Moses once again asks that God send the message by whomever He would send. Was he deaf too? God was sending him. God was angered by Moses' excuses but was set upon His plan, so He permitted Aaron to be Moses' mouthpiece.

Moses and Aaron went to speak to Pharoah. Rather than receiving the message with open arms, Pharoah increased the workload of the Israelites. He would keep them too busy to worship. (Do you find yourself like that sometimes? That is not God.) So the people got mad at Moses and did not appreciate what he was there to do. Sometimes we can get distracted and blame the wrong person. It was Pharoah who had increased their work load, not Moses.

Then Moses goes back to God to make sure he is really doing what God commands. When we are weary because life does not go like we plan or the promise does not come fast enough, we can go back to God for assurance, but we must be ready for His answer.

God reminds Moses who He is and why he was sent. "I am the Lord." It was not about Moses. It was not really even about the Israelites or the Egyptians. It was about God being worshipped and glorified.

Moses goes to deliver God's message to the Israelites, who are less than receptive. Moses once again gives excuses as to why he could not speak before Pharoah. If the Israelites would not listen, why would Pharoah? Once again, God reminded Moses, "I am the Lord."

How many times was Moses going to give excuses about not being able to speak? Had God not already made His point? How many times would Moses make excuses? How many times would he allow his own inadequacies to distract him from what God was doing?
How often do I?