Stone Soup for Five: What I learned in Exodus - #Iwillmeditate

What I learned in Exodus - #Iwillmeditate



I'm currently working through I Will Meditate Volume 2, and completed journaling through the book of Exodus a while ago.  Each chapter taught me something, but some chapters stood out as bright jewels, sparkling with gems that I had never seen before (don't you love that?).  Every once in a while I go back and write a blog post reviewing that chapter of the Bible, like I did for Matthew and Genesis.  It's so good for me to dig out the information, but it's even better to review it regularly because I have a hard time remembering truth as the days stretch on...


GOD REMEMBERED
Exodus 2:24-25
"So God heard their groaning and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them."

TAKEAWAY: At first glance, this could almost be mistaken for God FORGETTING His people and covenant.  But I once heard that anytime you read "God remembered..." it means God is about to act.  At first glance this looks like He had been ignoring them, then finally paid attention, but on closer evaluation, it shows that during their hardest times, and greatest pain, He leaned in closer.  Not because they earned it, but because of who He is... faithful, righteous, loving.

"He is ever mindful of His people, not because of their merit, but because of His." -Matthew Henry

IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE
Exodus 5

Right after God tells Moses to talk to Pharoah, and Moses tells the Israelites what God has in store for them--and they believed, and they worshiped God for it-- things get WORSE.
Israelites get beaten, their hard work gets harder, and they wish that God and Moses hadn't said anything because life was at least bearable before.  No one saw this coming. No one thought God's promise would start out looking like pain.

TAKEAWAY: When life seems to be going from bad to worse and it is easy to question or doubt God's promises or blame myself or others--hang on.  God is preparing me for when He will do the impossible.  Can I trust The Great I AM enough to hang on through the pain?

STAND AND SEE
Exodus 14:13-14
"But Moses said to the people 'Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever...the Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.'"

TAKEAWAY: In the midst of my trials, God only asks that I present myself to Him, pay attention to Him, and remain there.  He will act.  He has a plan.  He will fight for me.  I just need to watch and learn. "Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God." -Martin Luther.  Sometimes my best action (for things out of my control) is no action.  I need only to rest and to trust and to watch God.

God's job in this passage:  He accomplishes, He saves, He fights.
My job: Do not fear.  Stand by. Watch.  (Why do I continually want to do God's job instead of mine?)

IN THE CLOUD
Exodus 24: 12, 16
"Come up to Me on the mountain [covered by clouds and consuming fire] and remain there and I will give you the stone tablets...And the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud."

God called Moses specifically up to do something.  He called him to go away from the people and be with him in a cloudy, fiery place...then He had him WAIT.  For SIX DAYS.  Did Moses wonder if he had heard right?  Was it bright in the cloud (because of the fire?) Dark? Hard to see?  Hard to breathe? Confusing?  Did he wonder if God was even there in the cloud?  Did God really call him to this?  Wasn't there other more important things to do than wait?

After SIX DAYS of waiting (with Joshua waiting outside the cloud-- I wonder what was he thinking?), God didn't clear the cloud or change the situation, but spoke to Moses FROM THE MIDST of the cloud.

TAKEAWAY:  God called Moses to come above the everyday fray of life and be with Him on the mountain into a cloud that looked to everyone else like fire.  God told him to prepare to be there a while.  Moses had Joshua nearby but outside the cloud.

God currently has me in a season of waiting on Him in the midst of a dark and confusing cloud.  I've seen him take things from bad to worse.  Throughout the book of Exodus, over and over I've heard to wait and expect.  Wait for the Lord; expect Him to work.  I'm still waiting... in the meantime I need to: spend time with God above the chaos and busyness of everyday life.  I need to wait through struggles with friends and fellow followers of Christ who can pray for, encourage me, and keep pointing me to Christ (and I need to be that Joshua to others) while I wait for God to speak and act.  God didn't dissipate, move, or change Moses' cloud, but called from it.  In fact, the cloud was called The Glory of the Lord.

To successfully be in the cloud, I need to go where God calls me.  I need to stop fighting, stop trying to help God, stop trying to get my own way.  It is The Glory of the Lord that God is calling me to wait in. I need to wait... and continue to wait, expectantly.



"Under the stress of an immediate lack, 
they doubted the one fact of which they had overwhelming evidence: God was with them."
--Morgan commentary on Exodus 17





 
 


If you'd like to delve into the Bible in this way, Volumes 1 and 2 are available now.  

Volume 3 will be available on June 18th, and I can't wait to share it with you!

Coming June 18 to Amazon!

5 comments:

  1. When are you going to do the Psalms?

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  2. I needed this today, thank you!

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  3. Thank you for sharing this. I am currently in the midst of a waiting period and I sorely needed this reminder.

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  4. I looked for these volumes in amazon japan, but couldn't find it. Very interesting blog post. Wish i could dive deep inhis word like that.

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  5. How do you manage to get so much out of these passages!? I read them and see history and when I read it, I don't get this kind of inspiration. As I go though each chapter to write, I have to use a commentary or I have nothing to write in my book.I get frustrated with myself on this because I really wish that when I read, I'd see deeper into what is being said instead of just the facts!

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