I’ve been reading about Moses again. He’s one of my favorite people to learn about in the Bible. But I say that about pretty much…everyone who God uses…so take it as you will.
This morning while I was praying I felt the Lord’s reminder that I am His favored one. Then I got into Exodus and read through the plagues.
The point of the plagues was to destroy the false gods and take away their false authority. God was challenging the Egyptian deities to lift the veil from eyes of the Israelites and in order to free them from their bondage
Not only were the Israelites physically enslaved to the labor of Pharaoh, but their souls were prisoners of hopelessness. They had cried out to God, but at this point it had been 430 years of oppression. You can’t tell me they hadn’t started to lose faith and lack belief in God. But it was at this very time when they were finally coming face to face with His faithfulness. Through the plagues God was going to set them free and bring judgement on their oppressors. (As promised in Genesis 15:13-14)
In His goodness God reveals to us, like Israelites, the gods and powers of this world and frees us from their bondage.
God’s sovereign charcter is all over the story of the Israelites. His mercy, grace, faithfulness, goodness; ultimately His deep love, permeate every area of their story.
In His mercy, God allowed their labor to become near impossible in chapter 5. Slavery had become the Israelites ‘normal’. Through the Pharoahs’ hardened heart they were able to recognize that things were bad; God reminded them they were not free people. I’ve always struggled with this part of the story because I hadn’t understood that God’s mercy isn’t always pretty or comfortable. God’s love for us is so deep, that His mercy meartes He goes to whatever means to wake us out of the acceptance of our own slavery. (I.e. greed, selfishness, comparison)
I sat in such awe this morning as I went through these chapters. It’s crazy to me to fathom just how much God loves you and I. He would do anything for us. HE DID. He sent his only son to die so we wouldn’t pay the price we deserve for our sin.
The gospel onlys loses its power when we let it. When we don’t live in the river, operate in the fullness of the spirit or abide as closely as we should, we exchange the power of the gospel for imitation strength. We’re human and it’s going to happen, hear me it’s okay, because the faithfulness God isn’t dependent on our faithfulness to Him. The way He shows up for the Israelites shows us that. But lets be attentive when He gently guides us back to truth.
Today God refreshed the power of the Gospel in my heart. So I’m resting in the promise that the Father chooses us. He calls us His own and we find favor in His eyes because of Jesus. I’m drowning in His grace and truly captivated by His love for us.
You too, are His favored one.
His grace and mercy will free you from your bondage too.
Rest in this truth and let His love wash over you.
