Devotionals #4 and #5

1/15/2024

Opening Prayer

Song: "He Is Lord"

Devotional #5: God Equips Moses

Scripture

Exodus 4:10-17

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Devotional: God Equips Moses

Moses feared speaking to Pharoah and his people. He describes himself as “slow of speech and of tongue.” You would think that God would be understanding, but instead He was angry with Moses. God wanted Moses to trust in Him. God wanted Moses to know that He could use his weaknesses to proclaim His words. Luke 19:40 states that even if all remained silent, the rocks would cry out! In Numbers 21:30, even Balaam’s donkey speaks out against his master’s foolishness. Yet God is merciful and allows Aaron to be his mouthpiece. God uses this opportunity to demonstrate the prophetic role. As Moses is the one who speaks for God, so Aaron will be on the one who speaks for Moses.

Questions

Why do you think Moses was fearful to speak? Can you relate with him?
Moses is not the perfect prophet, but God still equips him and partners with him for his purposes. How does this give you confidence to serve God?

Devotional #6: When Things Don’t Go As Planned

Scripture

Exodus 5:1-22

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many,[a] and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”
15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?

Devotional #6: When Things Don't Go As Planned

Moses and Aaron appear to Pharaoh and says to him, “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.” Pharaoh not only refuses the request, but he calls the Israelites lazy for wanting to leave to worship their God! He tells his taskmaskers to make life difficult for them by not providing the straw they needed to make bricks. The Israelites failed to make the brick quota and are beaten for their failure. They turn to Moses and Aaron and complain that they have become a “stink” to Pharoah. Moses then turns to God and complains that He has failed to deliver His people. Can you imagine how frustrated, angry, and demoralized everyone had become. A word of deliverance from Moses had become a word of punishment. Yet, God is always present. His ways may not be ours, but deliverance will come for Israel. Today, we celebrate our deliverance from sin and death through Christ’s sacrifice. When things don’t go right for us, we know that God’s redemptive plan for us will not be thwarted. God will sanctify us and we will bask in His presence now and forevermore.

Questions

How angry do you think the Israelites were at Moses & Aaron? Can you relate?
How do you react when things go wrong? How can we help each other to trust in God?

Prayer Time

(Closing Prayer by Father)

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.