Exodus 6:1-30

We often assume that the walk of obeying God and following His will is an easy way to live.  The children of Israel were excited about being set free from bondage, but they were not at all excited about the suffering that the path to freedom required.  They decided that the price was too high and preferred to stay in bondage over living a life of freedom.  We too say that we want to live godly lives free from the bondage of sin.  However, when the path to freedom ends up involving suffering we often become weary of the sacrifice and prefer to continue living lives of spiritual mediocrity.
GOD DECLARES HIS FAITHFULNESS: God is not fazed by the reaction of Pharaoh or even the complaining of Israel.  He has made a promise to Abraham that He intends to keep.  He is responding to the prayers of His people and is determined to do what is best for them whether they can see it or not.  I am so glad that the Lord chooses answer my prayers according to His will and not my own.  Given the choice, I will always choose the path of comfort and health over the path of suffering and sickness.  I cry out to God for Him to free me from my bondage to sin while at the same time I cry out to God provide relief from suffering and hardship.  The truth is that we cannot have it both ways.  The path that leads to godliness is called suffering.  God is faithful to give me what I need and what He has promised even when I do not cooperate or become weary.  God is faithful to His promises even in our times of weakness.
ISRAEL DENYS ITS WILLINGNESS: Moses reveals God’s will to Israel, but they refuse to listen.  They regret ever having asked for freedom because they have decided that the price is too high.  The means that God has chosen to bring about their freedom does not match their expectations so they are deeply disappointed with God and decide that they prefer the known bondage over the unseen freedom.  We are so prone to look at our circumstances and decide that the future will simply be a continuation of the present.  God calls us to look at the future He has promised us and endure our present circumstances in light of that future hope.  We claim we want the will of God but we lack the willingness to walk in His ways if those ways involve suffering. 
MOSES DOUBTS HIS EFFECTIVNESS: God tells Moses to move forward just as He had planned.  God assures Moses that everything is going according to plan, but Moses is not so sure.  He tells God that He is unable to speak effectively and holds the leaders of Israel’s response up as exhibit number one.  In his mind, if he cannot even convince his own people to desire freedom, how can he be expected to convince Pharaoh to grant the freedom?  God wants Moses and us to understand that His will and power is not dependent upon our responses.  God is not concerned with how effective we think we might be or not be.  God’s power is not dependent upon our abilities.  The truth is that God delights in using those who consider themselves to be ineffective.  The key to pleasing God is to know His will by His Word and then trusting Him to accomplish His will no matter how bleak our circumstances may appear or how inept we might feel about our own abilities.

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