Day 5 & 6
Exodus
Still in Exodus and still amazed as how we today still do what Moses did all those yesterday's ago, in asking, "Who am I that I should go and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
We ask that and we doubt that we heard from God "to go" and then once we know we are "to go" and do something for God, we start to doubt whether we can! Whether we are right for the job.
It was an episode of "Doc" where Clint was saying in his end-of-the-show commentary back home to Montana that sometimes the worse prisons we are thrown into, are the ones we create for ourselves with our self-doubt, with letting satan creep in and tell us we can't because of this or that.
When those things happen we need to remember how God answered Moses, with "I will be with you..." Such a simple remark but it's when we make things more complicated that we trip up. He wouldn't ever tell you to do something he knew you couldn't do! When God brings you to it, he will be faithful to deliver you through it! Ha ha ha, I'm reminded of a warrior-mom quote I like: "When you're going through hell, just keep going -- you'll eventually get through it!"
Well, maybe that's not the message here, but we can certainly apply it to God's promise of deliverance! I'm ahead of myself here, but if only the Israelites wouldn't have doubted so much that God would indeed deliver them! He delivered them from the captivity of the Egyptians. He delivered them from aimless wandering. He delivered them through hunger, thirst, and their enemies along the way! And he will deliver us through anything his sovereign-self sees fit to allow us to go through! Whether that be autism, seizures, unemployment, etc.
As a parent, and as I emphasized to my son when I sent him letters on these readings on the laws, I pray that my son fully grasps what Exodus is saying about punishment and laws. I think too many children, youth, teens, and even adults think breaking laws is cute or funny or no big deal. If there's anything I got out of the tedium of reading (ok skimming) all of the laws about this and that, is that the stakes are high and often there are no second chances. Perhaps God doesn't send 'plaques' on us for disobedience as he did on Pharaoh in those days, but I certainly feel he withholds blessings when we think it ok to live in disobedience, even of the most stupid law or rule in our own opinions. Just as God punished Pharaoh's people back then for disobedience -- make no mistake, there is a punishment for disobedience in this day and age.
The Ten Commandments were a great reminder - and the three that especially made me stop and think were having no other gods before God, Idol's, and Honoring the Sabbath.
Do I with my time, make autism my god? I do if I spend more time studying it and researching it than I do learning about God.
What are my hidden idol's? Again, autism?
Do I honor the Sabbath as I should? You can be in church and not honor the Sabbath. You can not be in church and think you are home honoring the Sabbath, but really not be.
Even as the Israelites were wandering in the desert, the Lord provided them enough food on Saturday, to cover Sunday so they wouldn't have to work in gathering food that day. Reading how much emphasis was placed on that really humbled me and made me want to better honor the Lord on Sunday's. Sheesh, I mean really, can I give the Lord one measley day after the other six that he provided for me?
Just obedience. That's all God is asking of us. He's not asking us to cut off an arm or leg or sacrifice a child.
He's asking for simple obedience.
Yet so very often, we say no.
