2009 – Day 70.Mar. 12 – The Staff of God

2009 – Day 70.Mar. 12 – The Staff of God

Passage of the Day: Exodus 4: 20 - 23 … 20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”

My Journal for Today: What we read developing here is a total change of mindset for Moses from the insecure servant at the burning bush to the man at this point who’s ready to confront the most powerful political and military king on earth to honor to follow the one, true God. And God was instructing Moses to tell him, with confidence, that the Pharaoh must let God’s people go or see his son die. And as we know from the rest of the story, Moses did just what God commanded, carrying God’s Staff with him before the worldly king.

What we see in the quiet confidence and assurance of Moses at this point is a man who had been seasoned for humility for 40 years in the wilderness and a man who had total belief in His God. Moses knew that he was totally within the will of God’s declared word; and so he went forward to do what God had instructed him.

This begs the question I sense from God to me, “Bill, do you believe what I have said in My Word? And if so, are you willing to do what it says to be totally within My will?” Well, I don’t hear those words audibly as I’m meditating on today’s passage; but my mind and heart is certainly being challenged with these questions about my assurance and belief in my God. There are more questions like, “Do you really desire to be centered in MY will?” Or, “Do you really believe (i.e., have total faith) in passages from My word like Prov. 3: 5 – 6, Romans 8: 28, Romans 8: 31, 1st Cor. 10: 13, or 2nd Cor. 12: 9?” Because if I did believe in God’s word as Moses believed in God’s revealed word, I would be willing to go wherever God leads me and do whatever He commands of me? …

But, do I? Will I? And right here as I sit here, pondering these questions, I would hope I would. But then again, there are times when I shrink from sharing my faith with others because of fear of failure or how I might be seen by others. So, … in reality, I don’t have the faith or quiet confidence that Moses showed us before Pharaoh. And I’m convicted, almost in shame, as I confess this here before the God Who created me, Who saved me, and Who desires fellowship with me.

And that’s where this devotional today is calling to our hearts; … well, at least to mine. Are we willing to pick up the staff of God, which, for us, is His word; and are we willing to pursue and stay within God’s will, from His word, doing life His way? You have to answer that for yourself; but knowing those passages I have mentioned above and believing, at least in my head, what they say, I need to do all I can to put these truths and all of God’s commands into action, taking my belief from my head into my heart and making choices like Moses made to honor God and to quietly and confidently mover forward to be within God’s will.

My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, help me to seek and do Your will. Amen