Devotionals

Scripture Reading: Exodus 4:31

But then, Exodus 5:22 - 6:1: And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? ²³For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.”

God's plans are not like our own. When we expect deliverance, especially when we believe it has been promised by God, we expect it to be miraculous. We expect that suddenly, with great power, our whole set of circumstances will be changed. And, sometimes God does work that way. Still at other times, He chooses to bring deliverance after the greatest part of the trial.

The children of Israel were already in bondage, serving as slaves to the Egyptians, when God promised deliverance. The were willing and able to believe the promise, and they worshipped God for it. But, instead of immediate deliverance, they received even greater bondage. They were expected to do as much as they'd always done, only they were expected to find their own provision to do the work (brick-making) where it had previously been given to them. Was this the so-called deliverance God had promised? Even Moses was beginning to doubt the promise of God, but God reminded Moses that he was JUST ABOUT TO COME THROUGH.

God often works this way. He promised Jacob that if he went down into Egypt, He'd make a great nation of him, but Jacob couldn't have foreseen that Egyptian bondage would be the path to fulfillment. God promised Abraham and Sarah a child; how could they have known that the promise wouldn't come until they were old and had sought deliverance on their own, bringing about a family fued that continues until this day. Jesus reassured the disciples that Lazarus was sleeping, but they were on their way to make him better. When they arrived, Lazarus was dead. It seemed that they'd waited too long. But the greatest deliverance comes from the greatest trials. Which is greater: to have a fever reduced or to be raised from the dead? to be delivered from a difficult situation or to be delivered from the brink of destruction? One is sometimes possible without thinking to give God the glory; the other can only be seen as the hand of God. Let's not just praise Him for the promise, but let's believe Him until we see it fulfilled.

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• Tags: believe, bondage, serve

• Posted by: Karen Tinsley Nelson