Tuesday Thought – July 14, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Moses asked Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go into the desert to sacrifice to God and Pharaoh had said, “no.” But Pharaoh’s response did not stop with a simple “no.” He told his slave drivers to “make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” (Exodus 5:9) Pharaoh told his slave drivers to stop providing straw for the Jews to use in making bricks and make them go gather it for themselves. Despite this extra work the quota of bricks they were to make each day was not lowered. Their work just became harder.

When they weren’t able to make their quota, the Israelite foremen were beaten by the slave drivers. They appealed to Pharaoh because they did not consider what was being demanded to be right. Listen to Pharaoh’s response to their appeal, “Pharaoh said, ‘Lazy, that’s what you are – lazy! That is why you keep saying, “Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.” Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.’” (Exodus 5:17-18)

So the Israelites turned on Moses.  They said to him, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (Exodus 5:21) What God was doing through Moses did not seem right to the Israelites. It wasn’t helping their situation, it was just making it harder for them.

Moses agreed, it didn’t seem right to him, either. “Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.’” (Exodus 5:22-23)

Moses had heard the instructions of God clearly. He was doing what God asked him to do. But it wasn’t working! At least it didn’t seem to be working to Moses, or to the Israelites.

The road that God sends us down isn’t always smooth and easy. It’s often hard and arduous. The point is to keep following God’s path even when it’s difficult. It may not be easy, but eventually it will take us to the Promised Land!

His, by Grace,

Steve