Here is Pastor Karen's devotion today:
Good morning!
Do you ever look back at something that happened to you years ago that you didn’t understand at the time—and suddenly it all makes sense?
What is it they say? Hindsight is 20/20?
That’s how it is with today’s reading in Acts, which recounts the story of Moses, but with interpretation and details that weren’t given in the original account in
Good morning!
Do you ever look back at something that happened to you years ago that you didn’t understand at the time—and suddenly it all makes sense?
What is it they say? Hindsight is 20/20?
That’s how it is with today’s reading in Acts, which recounts the story of Moses, but with interpretation and details that weren’t given in the original account in
Exodus.
The storyteller in Acts tells his hearers that when Moses was 40, “it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites.” (This was after Moses was raised in the Egyptian palace from the time he was found in the basket in the river.)
Acts continues:
“(And) when he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand.”
This added layer of interpretation not found in Exodus tells us that Moses already felt God’s call on his life to rescue the Israelites from Egypt before he saw the burning bush and heard the Lord telling him to go to Pharaoh and demand their release!
After Moses kills the Egyptian and there are witnesses, it is no longer safe for him to live in Egypt. He runs away and ends up living as a resident alien in Midian. Just when he thinks he has fled his past and has started over with a new career, marriage and children, God tells him to go back to Egypt and set the Israelites free.
Is it true that Moses sensed God’s call on his life to rescue his relatives—long before he saw the burning bush? We can’t know for sure.
But what is true is that God was kindling a passion in him to right the injustices he saw in his society. He acted impulsively when he killed the Egyptian to defend the Israelite who was being beaten. But his actions came from the heart—a heart that the Lord was already working with in order to use Moses for His purposes.
Is there something in your life right now that you don’t understand ? Do you feel restless and discontent? The Lord may be awakening in you a new passion that He will use for His purposes. Think of this restlessness as a sign from God that change is coming. This restlessness is God talking to you, trying to get your attention.
Don’t fight against the inner struggle you may be feeling. Don’t fight the internal and external changes that may be taking place.
Ask the Lord to reveal His Will for you. And then trust that the Holy Spirit is doing something important with you. You will understand, some day. It may take a while.
You may even be frustrated or annoyed with God as you begin to recognize that He is the source of this discomfort.
Tell Him how you feel! Believe that He is listening to you with compassion.
Believe that He loves you and that He can use all things that happen—things that seem good and bad to us—for His good purposes.
Will you pray with me?
Prayer: Lord, we praise you that you are in control even when our lives feel so uncomfortable, when we are dealing with things that are painful and that we don’t understand. We thank you for your steadfast love and forgiveness for us, even when we are annoyed or angry with You. Send your comfort and peace where there is restlessness and inner struggle. Reveal Your will to those who struggle to know what You want them to do and what You are doing in their lives. Bring about Your good purposes through us. In Christ we pray. Amen.
Today’s readings are Judges 14:20-15:20; Acts 7:17-29; John 4:43-54; and Psalms 102 and 107.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
The storyteller in Acts tells his hearers that when Moses was 40, “it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites.” (This was after Moses was raised in the Egyptian palace from the time he was found in the basket in the river.)
Acts continues:
“(And) when he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand.”
This added layer of interpretation not found in Exodus tells us that Moses already felt God’s call on his life to rescue the Israelites from Egypt before he saw the burning bush and heard the Lord telling him to go to Pharaoh and demand their release!
After Moses kills the Egyptian and there are witnesses, it is no longer safe for him to live in Egypt. He runs away and ends up living as a resident alien in Midian. Just when he thinks he has fled his past and has started over with a new career, marriage and children, God tells him to go back to Egypt and set the Israelites free.
Is it true that Moses sensed God’s call on his life to rescue his relatives—long before he saw the burning bush? We can’t know for sure.
But what is true is that God was kindling a passion in him to right the injustices he saw in his society. He acted impulsively when he killed the Egyptian to defend the Israelite who was being beaten. But his actions came from the heart—a heart that the Lord was already working with in order to use Moses for His purposes.
Is there something in your life right now that you don’t understand ? Do you feel restless and discontent? The Lord may be awakening in you a new passion that He will use for His purposes. Think of this restlessness as a sign from God that change is coming. This restlessness is God talking to you, trying to get your attention.
Don’t fight against the inner struggle you may be feeling. Don’t fight the internal and external changes that may be taking place.
Ask the Lord to reveal His Will for you. And then trust that the Holy Spirit is doing something important with you. You will understand, some day. It may take a while.
You may even be frustrated or annoyed with God as you begin to recognize that He is the source of this discomfort.
Tell Him how you feel! Believe that He is listening to you with compassion.
Believe that He loves you and that He can use all things that happen—things that seem good and bad to us—for His good purposes.
Will you pray with me?
Prayer: Lord, we praise you that you are in control even when our lives feel so uncomfortable, when we are dealing with things that are painful and that we don’t understand. We thank you for your steadfast love and forgiveness for us, even when we are annoyed or angry with You. Send your comfort and peace where there is restlessness and inner struggle. Reveal Your will to those who struggle to know what You want them to do and what You are doing in their lives. Bring about Your good purposes through us. In Christ we pray. Amen.
Today’s readings are Judges 14:20-15:20; Acts 7:17-29; John 4:43-54; and Psalms 102 and 107.
Blessings in Christ!
Pastor Karen
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