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Mary Alice McGinnis

September 23 | Exodus 2:11-22


 

DAILY READING

 

REFLECTION


It's Not Logical

by Mary Alice McGinnis


Today’s story follows Moses being scooped up out of the Nile River and becoming the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter.


Isn’t it miraculous that God rescued this tiny, newborn infant floating a basket? What do you think his life was like? What do you suppose it was like for Moses to grow up as the adopted grandson of Pharaoh? Did people know his nationality as he grew up? Did his mother, Pharaoh's daughter, tell him of his origin? What was his schooling like? What about his physical training? What was he taught about religion, spirituality, and the “gods” of Egypt? What did he know of the God of the Hebrews? Where did he learn about Him?


Several decades pass and the baby Moses is a full grown man. Something made him curious about his national origin; what do you suppose it was?


“One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor.”


Acts 7 tells us: "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.”


Moses had something stirring inside of him. A restlessness, a longing, a desire he could not quiet. He felt as though he was meant to rescue his Hebrew people from the hands of the Egyptians. The logical thing was to use his influence and power to do so. When he saw cruelty being played out upon one of the Hebrew slaves that day, he jumped in to rescue him. In a fit of rage, he kills the Egyptian slave master who was tormenting his Hebrew “brother.”


Are there times in your life where you think you know what God is calling you to do? Then without considering how God might be leading, you jump in, and it leads you down a path of unexpected consequences?


Moses becomes a murderer, he is rejected by the Hebrew people, he is hunted down by his adopted grandfather - Pharaoh, and finds himself a fugitive. He had to give up all his prominence, all his royalty, all his influence and flee to a place where he was a complete nobody. Fleeing for his life probably felt like his plan was completely defeated.


It seemed like all was lost. Yet by another miracle of God’s grace, somehow God stirred up faith inside of Moses.


In the great “Faith Chapter” Hebrews 11:24-27 tells us:


"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible."


We don’t really know how God taught Moses about Himself. We do know that God uses this time in Moses’ life to humble him. He brought Him low to allow him to see that he could not trust his own treasures, his own plans, his own education, his own strength, his own influence. He needed to fully rely upon Him who is invisible, the God above all God’s. How has God used turbulent times to humble you and bring you back to Him?


God’s plan of redemption for the Israelites in Exodus made no logical human sense. Neither does His ultimate plan of saving the world.


Jesus, God’s own Son, knew from the beginning that His mission was to save US! He had to leave His place of royalty—like Moses. He was favored by God from birth—like Moses. He was miraculously saved in childhood from the hand of Herod—like Moses from Pharoah. Jesus was rejected by the very people He came to save—like Moses.


Finally, Jesus was crucified by those who rejected him. Through His resurrection, He defeated sin, death, and all evil. And even though we have been among those who rejected Him, through His Holy Spirit, He stirs up faith in us. Through faith in Jesus, He has promises us the gift of eternal life.


No human would come up with such a plan. And He invites us, sinful humans, into sharing in His mission of saving the world.


“In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” (Titus 1:2)


PRAYER

Thank You that You are Lord of Lords, and I am not. Thank You for all the ways You are working faith in my heart even when I have been trying to do things on my own. Forgive me Lord, and fold me into your plan of redemption for all those who are in need of Your saving grace.



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