Daily Devotion for February 17, 2024

 

Devotion:

For an audio version of this devotion, click here.

Read Exodus 4:18-20.

Moses had lived a conflicted life in his early years. Born a Hebrew slave, he had been raised in the palace of Pharaoh. He had been told the stories of his people, going back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He had also been given the best education in the land and enjoyed a life of plenty. But one day, that conflict within probably led to him killing one of the Egyptian guards who was beating one of his people and he had to leave Egypt. He ended up in Midian, got married and settled into everyday life as a shepherd.

But then God came calling. (The phone was in the form of a burning bush.) God had an assignment for him: Go back to Egypt and confront Pharaoh with a demand to let God’s people go. Moses felt inadequate and tried his best to talk God out of it. But God persisted. The verses in our reading for today let us know that Moses had decided to follow God’s calling. He gave up the life he had established in Midian to travel a very hard path. There would be many trials and tribulations ahead and Moses had to know that. (Hence the attempt to talk God out of it.) But he chose to go.

Serving the mission of God will inevitably put you conflict with the ways of this world, in some form or fashion. Some of that conflict will be obvious and you will know it is coming before you get there. At other times, you will not realize it until you are in the middle of it. Are you still willing to go?

Personal Worship Option:

Offer this prayer or one like it in your own words: Lord, I admit that sometimes I am like Moses, wanting to avoid the paths of service and ministry to which you call me. Give me wisdom and courage to follow where you lead me, knowing that you always go with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.