Thoughts on January 27 Bible Reading

January 27, 2018

Reading: Exodus 16-19

Here are a few thoughts on today’s reading in the hopes that they will encourage you to continue in God’s Word.

Exodus 17:6 (CSB)

⁶I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

As the people of Israel continued in their journey away from Egypt into the desert, they grumbled against Moses because they did not have any water. (The people complained to Moses a lot, however, I would say that not having water is a legitimate problem.) Moses cried out to God over the situation. God instructed Moses to strike a certain rock with his staff and told him that water would come out of it. Moses obeyed, and God brought water for the people of Israel out of a rock.

I am encouraged that God can provide for my needs in miraculous ways. He is the God who can bring water from a rock and He can meet my needs in ways that are exceedingly and abundantly more than I can think or imagine.

I praise You, Lord, for your power and for your concern for me and for all people. Amen.

Exodus 18:18 (CSB)

¹⁸“You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.

Exodus 18:25–26 (CSB)

²⁵So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

²⁶They judged the people at all times; they would bring the hard cases to Moses, but they would judge every minor case themselves.

The weight of responsibility was bearing down hard on Moses. As they traveled through the wilderness, all the people would come to him with their disputes so that he would inquire of the Lord and judge them accordingly. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, saw how heavy these responsibilities weighed on Moses, and made a wise recommendation. On this recommendation, Moses chose men from all Israel who were capable of leading and judging disputes and gave them the responsibility and authority to lead the people and deal with them. Moses delegated.

Perhaps you are weighed down from the strain of leading others or providing for them. Sometimes I feel like I have to do everything myself, as if others are not capable. The better part of wisdom tells us to share the load of work and responsibility among others so that the weight is not so great on us. Further, by empowering others and holding them accountable, you are helping them grow into more responsible human beings.

Exodus 19:16–18 (CSB)

¹⁶On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.

¹⁷Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

¹⁸Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.

Exodus 20:18–19 (CSB)

¹⁸All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it they trembled and stood at a distance.

¹⁹“You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.”

God came down on Mount Sinai in power when He first spoke the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel. There was thunder, lightning, thick cloud, loud trumpet, smoke, fire, and earthquake. It made the people tremble before God. It made the people listen to God and want to obey Him.

I am reminded here that God is POWERFUL. What happened at Mount Sinai on that day was just a minor manifestation of His power. He spoke the universe into existence by the power of His Word. Consider the vast distances of space, from one planet to the next, from one star to the next, from one galaxy to the next. Consider the sheer power of the sun. Consider its size. Now think about the fact that the sun is just an average star in an average galaxy that is dwarfed in size by the larger stars. He spoke all of this into existence from nothing. Our God is POWERFUL.

Sometimes we forget who our God is. Who are we that this God should have regard for us? Why would we treat this God with doubts and disobedience? What would we speak to Him or about Him with disrespect? Give thanks to God for creating you. Give thanks to God for saving you. Give thanks to Him for hearing your prayers.

God is AWESOME. Yet that word pales in its ability to describe just how awesome He is. Worship Him today. Amen.