While Numbers 4 still involves some counting, it becomes much more interesting with a little Holy interior decorating! I fell down a little Google rabbit hole reading about what kind of leather was used in the temple. NIV says sea cow, NASB says porpoise, theologians have theorised other interpretations. But I think the point is, it was valuable and special. All of the designs and decor of the tabernacle were both God instructed and enabled. I have always wondered how the people building the tabernacle could build what they were told to build. I then heard from someone, that they were able to do this work because they were given the gift of the Holy Spirit (Exodus 31:1-6 and 35:30-36:2). I think this makes a lot of sense!
Also, and part of the importance of this passage is God was very clear who could touch what and when. Death comes to those who did not heed God’s commands, no matter how small they may seem. God will not be mocked nor disobeyed.
Numbers 5 and 6 are kind of a wild mix of blessings and curses. First Numbers 5 speaks of the sanctification of anyone who was ceremonially unclean or guilty of sin. Moses then writes of a “grain offering for jealousy.” I looked at several commentaries and still cannot quite understand why it was included in scripture and what it all means. One commentary reminds readers that this was a time of many rituals for many issues and this would not have been that odd to the people of that time. My own thought is that this was another situation where it was very important to obey God. I believe that God protected women who were innocent of adultery and they were not affected by this curse.
In Numbers 6, we learn what one needs to do to become a Nazirite. Reading this reminds me of the sacrifices my Catholic nun friends had to make to become a nun. It is very honorable to dedicate your life to God. However, it is not necessary to become a Nazirite or a nun/monk to dedicate your life to God. Because of Christ, through baptism, we can be sons and daughters of God. And we can receive the Aaronic Blessing:
The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
God bless you this week as you obey His word!
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
What do you find in Numbers that reminds you of the importance of obeying God?
What do we learn about God so far in the book of Numbers?
Have you ever experienced the Lord making His face shine upon you? When? How does it feel? What do you think the Lord likes to make His face shine upon?
Once upon a time, I had to take a statistics class. It was awful! I am not a numbers person at all and the professor was dry and would trail off while he was talking. Every class was an exercise in trying to stay awake for an hour and 15 minutes! But I do think he could have spiced things up a bit if he had thrown in some fun or shocking stories in between the equations. For example: “So in this case p is equal to the sum of the number of participants in the study, which was looking at the correlation between owning a machete and a ninja outfit and ending up in the emergency room.”
So when I was reading the first two chapters, I was getting flashbacks of that statistics class. They are purely numbers and logistics. The 12 tribes of Israel had left Egypt about a year before and God was now “parking” the tabernacle in the desert, with the 12 tribes in specific stations around the tabernacle.
God had Moses and Aaron count all the men in the tribe. Boring! I like how Chuck Swindoll put it in his commentary, “Numbers takes the reader on a long and winding path through a desert of excruciating detail.” But then I hit chapter 3 and Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadab and Abihu fall dead because they offer God an “unauthorized fire” and they had no children, WHAT??? That got my attention! Why was the fire “unauthorized”? Why did God strike them dead? So many questions??? But the biggest question the story starts to answer is WHY Numbers is included in our Bible.
Besides its historical significance, Numbers speaks of the importance of obedience to God and God’s intolerance of sin. Leviticus 10:1-2 gives a little more detail on what happened to Nadab and Abihu, but it was basically just straight up disobedience to God. We may think this was a pretty minor issue, but it points to the fact that God does not tolerate sin of any kind. No matter how “good” you are, you will not live a life of perfection and will at some point deserve the punishment Nadab and Abihu received. Goodness, do we need a savior! THANK GOD for JESUS!
So, yes, much of this book is boring, especially today’s reading, but unlike that statistics class, you will find application for your own life in this book.
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
God has a plan for His people, even for where each tribe was to park around the tabernacle. How might He share His plans today?
Why is God looking for, and expecting, obedience from His people during the time of Numbers? What does God’s desire and expectations look like today? Does the sacrifice of Jesus mean obedience isn’t required any more?
What application can you find for your life from Numbers 1-3?
We have finally come to the end of Leviticus and I hope that you’ve gained an appreciation for this “skipped-over” book: there is much we can learn about our God and how to serve Him within these pages, even if some of the specific details are different now under the new covenant with Jesus. One thing that will never change about our heavenly Father is something described in chapter 26: He blesses obedience and punishes disobedience.
Like most kids, I disobeyed my parents often when I was younger. If I was told not to do something, that’s immediately where my mind gravitated towards, even if there was the threat of punishment. I was also stubborn (and still am sometimes), and continued my disobedience even if the punishment was dealt out, until the punishment grew to a severity that wasn’t worth it anymore. A time-out from television didn’t mean much to me: neither did the extra chores that I was given. However, when those things didn’t work out and I was grounded from seeing my friends, I began to shape up and ask for forgiveness. My parents weren’t thrilled about punishing me, like most parents: they just needed to do something to get my attention and create an obedient spirit within me (probably the hardest job of a parent).
God as our heavenly Father is much the same way, and it is shown in Leviticus 26: He will punish the disobedience of His children until they shape up and realize the error of their ways. In this chapter, He gives the Israelite nation FIVE chances to change their ways and start listening to Him again, with increasing punishments: they unfortunately proved to be very stubborn and continued their disobedience until their nation was completely driven away from the Promised Land (which did happen). Although God warned them ahead of time, and gave them multiple chances to change, they kept acting out and disobeying until God had to go to extreme measures to get their attention.
However, despite all the disobedience and the punishments in this chapter, God says that if they will confess their sins and repent of their ways, He will forgive them (just like a good parent). He promises to bring them back to the Promised Land, restore the covenant that He made with their forefathers, love them again, and even dwell with them again: all they have to do is repent and start obeying Him again, because He knows what’s best for them.
We would do well to remember this lesson above all else: God blesses obedience, not disobedience. Far too often Christians have chosen to disobey God’s instructions and immediately expect His forgiveness because Jesus died for us. However, we cannot miss the most important part of receiving forgiveness: repentance.
“It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:31-32 NASB1995
Do you want to live a good life full of blessings? Then obey God’s instructions.
Have you disobeyed God’s instructions and are suffering for it? Ask for forgiveness and repent.
God is willing to work with us and forgive our sins, but we must do something about it. Like a good Father, He is expecting obedience and a change of heart. We cannot simply “skate by” in our Christian walk, expecting forgiveness when we have no change in our lives. We have to obey Him if we want His blessings.
-Talon Paul
Reflection Questions
How is God similar to your parents? How is God different from your parents?
What blessings does He give that make you want to obey Him? What punishments does He give that make you want to not disobey Him? If you want to obey God how do you learn what His instructions are?
Chapter 20 of Leviticus is perhaps the most difficult passage in the entire Bible for modern readers in the United States. In this chapter, the practice of homosexuality is condemned as strongly as cheating on a spouse, beastiality, and incest: the practice is condemned so harshly that it is punishable by death within Israel. While we generally still disapprove of the other inappropriate sexual unions listed in this chapter, homosexuality has taken a major swing in the opposite direction, being viewed as completely okay for people to pursue, even within the Church: in fact, the majority of Christians in the United States now view this once-condemned practice as totally acceptable for anyone, even Christians. For example, as recently as 2024, the Methodist Church voted to reverse its anti-LGBTQ+ positions, creating a major division within the denominations: they now allow for even their religious leaders to be openly practicing these once-condemned practices from the Bible.
So what is a Christian to do today? We have clear and strong prohibitions in Leviticus to avoid homosexuality and other inappropriate sexual practices, and yet, Christians today are completely divided on whether to be accepting of these practices or not. As people who believe that God gave us the Bible, and who take its commands seriously, how are we supposed to understand such difficult texts in 2025?
We come back to the discussion on “holiness”: God desired that His people would live differently than those around them. He says of His people:
“I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.” – Leviticus 20:24
“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” – Leviticus 20:26
It is absolutely true that homosexuality has been a practice throughout the world for as long as humans existed: people were practicing it in the land of Canaan when this book was written (Leviticus 20:23), people were practicing it in the Roman world when Jesus and the apostle Paul were preaching, and people are practicing it around the world now. It has been and will likely continue to be a practice throughout the world until Jesus returns. However, does that mean Christians are allowed to participate in such things? Does the New Testament have anything to say about it, since we are under a new covenant than the Israelites?
The command for God’s people (Christians) is still to remain holy and not conform to the standards of the world: we are expected to live, speak, and act differently than those around us, just like the Israelites were commanded to do. Although some of the specifics are different, like the food laws, the standards on morals and sexuality still remain under the new covenant.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB1995
“… the law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching.” – 1 Timothy 1:9-10 NASB1995
As someone who has friends and family members who are actively involved in homosexual lifestyles, it is extremely difficult for myself to read these passages because I love all of them: I want them to be in Paradise with me when Jesus returns. However, our deep desire for our loved ones to be saved in God’s Kingdom doesn’t change the standards that He has set forth for being accepted into that Kingdom, and we cannot choose to disobey those standards because we don’t want to agree in our hearts. God makes the rules, not us, and we are called to simply listen and obey His instructions: as God’s people, we are expected to live “holy” and different lives than the world around us. We cannot compromise on what’s clearly been commanded, even if it’s difficult in our world today to go against the new standards being taught to us by the world.
“Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:1-2 NASB1995
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17 NASB1995
-Talon Paul
Reflection Questions
What rules did you have growing up that you didn’t appreciate or always agree with? Did you only have to obey the rules that you would have written yourself?
What characteristics of God make Him the best rule maker? What might He have been thinking when He created male and female and called them “very good”?
What does God want His people to be separate from today? Why be holy? Who/what wins when Christians follow the ways of the world instead of God’s way? Who loses?
How do you think God wants us to respond today to a world (and sometimes a church) that accepts and celebrates what God says is an abomination?
Leviticus is usually the most difficult book for people to read through, specifically because so many of the rituals from the ancient time of the Israelites don’t apply anymore. Many Christians when they come to this book in their Bible reading plans enter “skimming mode”, and brush over most of the content. However, we may be surprised at just how important this book really is when it comes to experiencing the presence of God. In order to understand how significant Leviticus really is, we need to look at the end of Exodus to grasp the story.
“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” – Exodus 40:34-35 NASB1995
The story up to this point has been God desiring to be with His people, but when His glory finally does come to earth in the tabernacle, even Moses isn’t able to experience it fully… Leviticus is the answer to the problem. Through the rituals and the laws that Leviticus spells out for the Israelites, they are able to fully experience God’s presence. What is really cool about this book is that it worked: when we come to the following book of Numbers, Moses is finally able to enter into the tabernacle and see God’s glory.
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month…” – Numbers 1:1 NASB1995
Moving forward, I hope that you will have a renewed appreciation for this often misunderstood and skipped-over book, especially as we discuss our chapters today. Through the first seven chapters, God has been telling Moses and his brother Aaron about all the very specific details they need to follow in order to bring forgiveness of sins into the Israelites’ lives. When we come to chapter eight today, they begin to put these instructions into practice: however, not everyone follows the clear instructions from God and suffers for it. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, didn’t follow the proper procedure for worshiping before God, choosing to offer “strange fire” (10:1) onto the altar. Because they didn’t follow God’s instructions, they were struck dead and stand as an example for everyone that will worship afterwards.
We learn that God takes worship SERIOUSLY: to “worship” Him in an unworthy manner will not be tolerated. He told Moses and Aaron, “By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored.” (10:3) He is a good God and Father who tells us exactly what we need to do, but will punish those who choose to “try it their own way”, especially those in positions of religious authority. No matter what, when we come to worship before our God and before our Savior, Jesus, we need to treat it as a serious matter, and seek to bring them total glory. True worship goes far beyond what type of music is played (hymns or contemporary), what order of service our church has “always used”, and beyond how we “feel” after the service: true worship is about God and Jesus being honored and exalted. If you don’t have that as your primary focus, nothing else matters.
-Talon Paul
Reflection Questions
Give some examples of how the world “tries it their own way” instead of following God’s instructions. When have you “tried it your own way” instead of following God’s instructions?
We aren’t told what Nadab and Abihu might have been thinking as they were experimenting with their ‘strange fire’. Whar are some possibilities?
Instant death is not always the consequence for acting contrary to God’s commands. What are some other consequences you have seen or experienced for acting contrary to God’s instructions?
Why do you think God places such great importance on worship, and worship done right? How do we come into His presence today?
Throughout history God has lead his people many ways. To a few he spoke audibly, others in dreams but he used the tabernacle to lead the Israelites. They set up the tabernacle to the very detail as God requested. After it was complete, 40:34 says
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
God made his presence known and clearly began to lead the people on their travels. Whenever the cloud left the people knew it was time to get up and go. Whenever the cloud would stop the people would also stop.
Sometimes I wish that God led us today in such an obvious manner. I need fool proof directions just to get across town let alone the race we are called to run as followers of Christ.
Although it is not as obvious, God still leads his people. He still tells us when and where to go and also when and where to stay.
The tabernacle was a dedicated place for God in the lives of the Israelites. They gave of their time, energy and resources to have a spot for God in their lives. Many often claim that they want direction from God but have not made space for his leading in their lives. They have not made time or space for God.
After the ascension of Christ, the believers were blessed with God’s presence in an even better way than the tabernacle. God’s power, his presence, his spirit can dwell in YOU!
Will you make time and space in your life – for the glory of God to lead you where he would have you go? And further, are you willing to follow that lead?
John Wincapaw
(originally posted for SeekGrowLove on February 12, 2020)
Reflection Questions
Can you give some examples of God’s leading in your life – in big or small ways?
What types of preparation and space making would God like to see you involved in before He reveals where He wants you to go next? Unlike Moses, are there any directions you haven’t completed yet that might be a helpful pre-cursor to the big journey God wants to lead you on next?
“Will you make time and space in your life – for the glory of God to lead you where he would have you go? And further, are you willing to follow that lead?” What does it look like to make time and space for God?
Social transformation is often a long and painful process. Think about efforts at equality within the United States. The founders’ vision was for a society where everyone had the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of Independence expressed this in 1776. Yet it took nearly a century and a Civil War to bring an end to slavery. It took nearly 150 years for women to be able to vote and nearly 200 years and a lot of blood, sweat and tears to make significant strides toward racial equality.
How does one take a community that has been enslaved for over 400 years and transform them into a nation that shines a beacon of light to all other nations in the world pointing them to the true God. How does an entire nation become holy, set apart for God’s service and God’s glory?
This is the challenge that was before God, Moses and the nation of Israel. They were leaving behind one type of structure, slavery, to enter into a new way of living. They needed a new structure to help them know how to live. They had to be taught how to live in community. They had to be taught how to work, and how to rest, how to care for their neighbors, and how to punish wrongdoing that threatened to destroy their community.
In today’s reading we see how God begins to organize and structure the transforming community of Israel. He teaches them how they are to live and become a holy nation and a royal priesthood. This transformation would not come quickly or easily.
They had to be taught how to show respect for personal property: “Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” (22:1) Those who steal must give restitution.
They had to be taught to respect the family structure and to place their sexuality within proper boundaries: “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.” (22:16-17)
They had to be taught that there were severe consequences for failing to follow appropriate sexual boundaries: “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.” (22:19).
They had to be taught to have empathy and to show kindness to strangers and people who were different: “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” (22:21).
They had to be taught to have compassion for people in the community who had suffered major losses: “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. (22:22).
They had to be taught to show respect both to God and to their earthly leaders: “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.” (22:28)
They had to be taught how to live as a just community by not giving false testimony, and by neither showing favoritism toward the poor nor withholding justice from the poor (23:1-6).
They had to be taught to care for their bodies and minds by getting appropriate rest. (23:12).
It was also important that everyone be taught these and other guidelines for how to live in community as God’s people and that they verbally acknowledge that they understand and intend to follow “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” (24:3)
Israel’s transformation from slavery to covenant people of God living a set apart life as the community of God’s people was a slow and challenging process. It was painfully difficult, but necessary. In the end, people failed more often than they succeeded in carrying out their assignments. And yet, somehow, despite tremendous opposition from aggressive and hate filled neighbors, the Nation of Israel survived.
As Christians, we can learn much from studying how God worked with His people Israel to bring about their transformation. It is important to note that they were God’s people first, and then they were given this particular set of laws. In the same way, as Christians, we become God’s people first, through faith in Jesus Christ, and then we commit to following Jesus and obeying Jesus’ commands. We do not become God’s people by following laws, but by following Jesus Christ. However, when we follow Jesus Christ, we do not descend into lawlessness. Structure is still required. So Jesus spends three years teaching his disciples how to live as the people of God who are called to be holy, set apart to be a light to all nations. We complete the mission that the nation of Israel began, and we do so following the yoke or community guidelines as laid down by Jesus Christ. The foundational teaching of Jesus is to Love God and Love our Neighbors. That is a good place for each of us to start each day.
Jeff Fletcher
(originally posted February 6, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)
Reflection Questions
What is the purpose of rules for your country, work/school or family? What is the purpose of God’s rules for His people?
Does God still want a holy people today? What does a holy people look like?
Which characteristic of a holy people do you want to especially work on developing more this month?
Today’s reading is probably one of the most familiar passages in the whole Bible for it includes the Ten Commandments. It is important to understand the context of these commandments. God entered into a covenantal relationship with Abraham and Abraham’s descendants through Isaac and Jacob and Jacob’s sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. God promised to bless and provide for his people and in exchange His people promised to be faithful and obedient to God and worship God alone.
After 400 years of slavery, Israel has grown from 12 sons and their immediate family to millions of people. These people, God’s covenant people, will be settling in a land where they will need to live in community. They are no longer slaves. They are now responsible to live in that community in peace and productivity. They need help to know how to live together. God provides His people with the structure of how to live together as God’s people. The Ten Commandments and subsequently nearly 600 additional laws were all designed to help them be healthy and blessed representatives of God to the rest of the world.
God loves all people. We must never falsely believe that God only loves certain people. God considers all human beings His children and loves them all. God wants to be in a right relationship with all of his children; however, many are disobedient and have no willingness to be in a relationship with God and many deny that God even exists.
So God needed to start with one group of people and prepare them to be a special, chosen people who would bring the knowledge of God to others. Exodus 19:5-6 says, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. A priest is one who helps connect people and God. God would go on to designate priests in Israel to help the people connect with God, but His expectation for Israel was that the whole nation serve as priests to help other nations connect with God. Because the whole nation was being set apart by God to be priests for the world, they needed to live holy or set apart lives. There were behavioral expectations that they were to follow. They had to be exclusively loyal to God, they could not murder, steal, lie, cheat, they were to be respectful and honoring of parents and not misuse God’s name.
Now we are completing what God began in Israel. Through Christ we have entered into a covenant with God. We are now the covenant people, we are called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That is the Church’s role. And God expects us to live lives of holiness as we are set apart to serve God. As you read through the many laws in the Old Testament, recognize that some applied very narrowly to the Nation of Israel and do not necessarily apply to us. Dietary laws and sanitary laws were important in Israel at the time they were given but are no longer applicable. However, some of the laws which pertain to morality have been reaffirmed by Jesus Christ for the Church. In other words, as Christians we are free to eat pork and worship on Sundays, but we are not free to practice polygamy or murder.
God is truly a God of grace and mercy, but God is also a God who hates sin and punishes sin. In this way we are still to live in fear of the Lord: Exodus 20:20 “the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
Jeff Fletcher
(originally posted for SeekGrowLove on February 5, 2020)
Reflection Questions
What are the duties and responsibilities of a holy nation/kingdom of priests? How would you rate how well/poorly Christians in your nation are doing this job? How would you rate how well/poorly you are doing this job? What can you improve upon this week?
How can we mirror God’s grace and mercy? How can we remind the world (and ourselves) of God’s rule book and judgment? What is the problem with doing just one but not the other?
What does it look like to live in fear of the Lord? Is this only an Old Testament concept or do we find it in the New Testament, too?
In our devotion yesterday Jeff Fletcher was describing the Dark Night of the Soul when it seems like God is distant. Certainly being enslaved for 400 years in a foreign land could have that effect. I wonder if even through all those years of painful toil if many or some Hebrew parents were still faithfully telling their children of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who had promised Abraham that his descendants would come out of that land of slavery after 400 years with great possessions and God’s judgment upon their former masters (Genesis 15:13). Was anyone still counting the years in anticipation? Were they talking to God about how He would show up? Were they watching to see how God might be acting on their behalf day after day while in slavery? I don’t know. But I hope so. In our reading today, there can be no doubt, God is at work and He shows up in some major ways – and also in some small surprising ways, too – but always faithful.
I will assume that you already have some knowledge of these events from Exodus 13-15. So, you already know of the amazing way God chose to lead the Israelites on their journey out of Egypt – with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night – spectacular! And you already know of God’s strong east wind that split the Red Sea with a wall of water on their right and a wall of water on their left as His cherished people crossed on dry land – astounding!
So, today I will focus on two of the smaller things – wheels and logs.
I don’t know about you – but I take great delight (maybe a little too much) in the picture of God at work in Exodus 14:25. Here the great God of the universe who has been directing the winds to create great mountains of water is watching from the pillar of fire/cloud which He specifically moved from in front of the Israelites where it had been guiding to the rear where it was protecting. So this great all-powerful God of the universe reaches down from on high to clog the chariot wheels of the advancing Egyptians who want to take back their slaves. Is there an adversary chasing you who wants to make you or someone you know a slave again? God is good at protecting His children, sometimes in ways I wouldn’t even think of. In big and small ways. God so loved the world. But we know everyone is not going to listen and play on His side. Some will play the role of adversary, but do not fear, our God knows how to clog their chariot wheels. Oh, and, make sure you are playing on the right team because the God who clogged their wheels also sent the mountainous walls of water crashing down on the Egpytians and none survived. His judgment is right and sure and coming at God’s perfect time not ours. And the whole world will know He is the Lord.
The second little example of God at work even in small ways in His big plans comes at the end of our reading today. The Egyptians are no longer a problem. Now, thirst is. They have traveled three days and have not found water. And when they finally reach water at Marah, they find the water is bitter, not just unpleasant to drink but likely unhealthy and perhaps deadly as well. The people grumble, Moses cries out to the Lord, and the Lord answers by showing Moses a log.
Thanks, God. This will help – if we want a campfire or need to start building a log cabin. But we really need water now. The Bible doesn’t record that Moses questioned God, but I might have. I love the partnership between Moses and God. God could’ve fixed the problem any way He wanted to. And if He wanted to sweeten the water with a log He could have easily picked up the right log and thrown it in himself – after all we just saw Him displace how many gallons of water and clog chariot wheels without any help from human hands. But more to His “normal” working – He shows Moses which log – and Moses simply steps up, pitches it in the water and God makes the waters sweet and healthy and life-giving.
Today, whether God is displacing the sea for you to walk through on dry land or clogging some chariot wheels to protect you, or showing you which log He wants you to pick up to sweeten your bitter surroundings – follow Him. He is at work, in big and small ways, guiding and protecting and sustaining.
-Marcia Railton
Reflection Questions
What inspiring words did Moses have for the people at the edge of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:13 & 14? Which phrase do you need to hear today? What words does the Lord God have for Moses in Exodus 14:15? Where do you think God is calling you to go forward?
Exodus 15 includes the first recorded hymn of the Hebrew people. If you were to create a hymn or worship song praising God for who He is and what He has done for you what would you include?
Where do you see God at work – in big and small ways? Like Moses picking up the log God showed him – what might God be showing you to do to change bitter to sweet and help sustain the weary, thirsty children of God?
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Because my mouth is not eloquent.
Sometimes it is downright rude. Sometimes it lies. Sometimes it gets angry. Sometimes it hurts people.
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it stays shut when it should open to speak your words. Sometimes it forgets to give you praise. Sometimes it prefers to be grouchy or selfish instead of thankful.
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak! Sometimes it doesn’t speak up for the oppressed. Sometimes it misses opportunities to spread joy and hope and your love. Sometimes…
Oh Dear Lord, please be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!
In Exodus 3 & 4 Moses is giving God lots of reasons (excuses) why He should pick someone else for the job of delivering God’s first-born child (the Israelites) out of slavery in Egypt.
I am nobody special
I don’t even know your name
The elders won’t believe me
I am not eloquent
Somebody else can do it better
God has answers for it all. I love the Lord’s words in Exodus 4:12 (ESV): “Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” What a beautiful promise! Yet, Moses still pleaded with Him to just send someone else! God got angry at that one. How many times does this child of God need to be reassured that his God is bigger than any fear that comes with doing His Work. The maker of your mouth can teach you how to use it – when you step up and GO where He wants you to GO! Did you notice that little two letter word at the start of God’s promise to be with Moses’ mouth and to teach him what to say? You’ll never know what words God is waiting to teach you to say if you say no and don’t go.
God graciously compromised with Moses and rather than sending someone else instead of Moses, He sent someone else to go along with Moses, his brother Aaron who was not ‘coincidentally’ coming out to the wilderness to meet Moses.
Maybe it’s time I spend less time on my excuses and instead say YES, step out and GO and trust God to do what He says He will do – be with my mouth and teach me what I shall speak!
-Marcia Railton
Reflection Questions
What excuses have you tried giving God for not stepping out to do a job He wants you to do? How do they stand up to your GREAT BIG GOD?
How can you be someone’s Aaron and come alongside him/her to do a job for God that perhaps neither of you would feel you could do “on your own”? Though, you are of course never “on your own” when you are doing the Lord’s work!? What are some other instances that God used the buddy system and what were some advantages to having a partner?
So – the big question is – where does God want you to go? If you aren’t sure yet, be praying. And then, thank Him for being with your mouth and teaching you what you shall speak.
Seek Grow Love 