But God! You Promised...

Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simenon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those who were descendants[a] of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor. Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth-stools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.”
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born[c] you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.” - Exodus 1:1-22

After reading my devotional scripture this morning I had to ask myself a question or two. First, in the past, how far have I gone to argue what I learned was not at all the right answer or position? Second, at this stage in my walk with Jesus, how much of my pride am I willing to give up when I know God wants me to stop what I am doing and go in a different direction?

In the scripture reading above the Egyptians' insecurity and abhorrence for their Jewish neighbors eventually led to savagery. They actually were more humane toward their immigrant guests decades earlier (the Jews) than they were to them toward the end of their time in Egypt where they truly had become captives of their hosts.

I find that interesting for a number of reasons. First, apparently we do not learn from history. Nor, has humanity become more of anything more sophisticated or more civil. Also, it strikes me that if you are prone to arguments, violent anger and brutality, God's wisdom would dictate for you to regroup mentally and spiritually and ask yourself what kind of fear has gripped you? Throughout my 58 years, I have with a fallen heart seen just how brutal people can be and how often they are driven by various fears and insecurities. Fear of loss. Fear of humiliation. Fear of exposure. Fear of weakness. Fear of losing control. How many other forms of fear can you name?

The Egyptians wallowed in these kinds of fears. Fear of losing their land or power over their possessions drove them to ever increasing acts of injustice and brutality. What's the point? How about this: once you've decided to ridicule, alienate, (starve or beat) or mistreat one person, it becomes increasingly easier to persecute others and, as in the case of the nation of Egypt you eventually dehumanize a whole population. As you follow this story what you eventually see is this, The Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously; and they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them. - verses 13, 14.

The Hebrews (Jews) found themselves in terrible straits, but God had promised, "I'll send a deliverer." When times grow hard it is easy to leap to the conclusion that God has forgotten His promises. Somehow we have to see past the kinds of experiences we are having and fully and consistently be in touch with The Father through the indwelling Holy Spirit to understand what our experience means. That was something the Jews had lost site of. It's easy to do. The new movements amongst Christians (free believers, Jacobsenites, Emergents, etc.) often question the validity of constant biblical contact. They view daily reading and devotions as a sort of duty that only the guilty and misinformed amongst believers continue to practice. But I often forget things about my walk in Christ. In this case. the Book of Exodus illustrates to us that when God says, "I promise you something," He never forgets it but that He does have a way and a timing that, unless you are sensitive to Him, His work in and amongst you and His people you associate with that You may forget. I often forget. A whole nation here is shown to have forgotten. But God cannot forget nor fail.

So let's put the shoe on the other foot. I am being persecuted. Do you ever imagine that your hard, harsh moments and tests escape God's notice? You may become so discouraged, so filled with acute pain, that you begin to think God couldn't be aware of your circumstances, or, if He is aware, then obviously He doesn't care. If you had an earthly father, aware of your pain, would He keep you in the dark as to his position on your predicament? No, nor does ours. However, if your earthly father was not kept in the loop about it how could he respond? It is similar to God. Though He knows what is going on He consistently desires we invite Him to the party (or persecution) which is our life. He asks that we seek Him, His face, His thoughts, His leadership and that is a very personal and intimate thing.

God is always aware. And He cares very deeply. He practices the means to redeem those in His family. It may be by calling someone home to Himself, or it may be by splitting an ocean right down the middle so you can walk through on dry ground. His deliverance may not arrive on your timetable or in the manner you expect it, but it will arrive at the best time, the right time. God will not abandon His own. Today, make a commitment to self and Him that you will invite Him in daily and practice His presence in your life. There is truly no need to go through the valley alone. He is there!

And in this season of both joy and sorrow; of relationships and loneliness I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~