Watched over

DEVOTION

EXODUS

WATCHED OVER

Ex 3:16-17

16 "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites — a land flowing with milk and honey.'

NIV

God, the “I AM WHO I AM”, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob says this to Moses. Tell them Yahweh, the God of your fathers appeared to you. That ought to get their attention. It is what God says next to Moses which strikes a chord in our lives. He tells Moses to tell them he has been watching over them and has seen what has been done to them in Egypt. He has promised to bring them out of their misery into a land flowing with milk and honey. Is this not our story? Were we not living in a land under bondage to sin? Were we not in misery, even if we didn’t know it? We might even have thought we were having fun, but we were being deceived with a false scene, an illusion of life, while all the time we were in misery, or if nothing else certainly headed to a place of misery until the judgement day. So in a prophetic sense we were already in misery, in hell. But God has promised he would bring us up out of our misery and bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey, the new city of Jerusalem, the place he has prepared for us to live eternally in his presence. It is also possible, although we are saved, and in this same prophetic sense we are already in the land flowing with milk and honey, we could still experience some form of misery here on earth. Surely as we look forward in Exodus, the children of Israel thought, at times, their lives were pretty miserable. They even voiced their misery to the point of thinking being back in Egypt would be better then what they were facing. Sometimes we might think we experience some form of misery in this life, even our new life in Christ. All things may not go according to our plan, our desire, our hopes of fame and fortune in this life. We might have to suffer in some form or another to some extent. That could come differently for each of us. But we might think we are either forgotten by God, or that he just doesn’t care about this physical life and is only concerned about the salvation of our spirit. Sometimes it seems he does not answer our prayers. This life can be rough at times and we could get down, get depressed or discouraged, if nothing else. But our hope is in the truth. God is watching over us, he has seen our misery and he sent his Son to save us, to bring us up out of this misery, both in the eternal sense, as well in this physical sense. We do not have to stay in our miserable state of sin or of being under the influence of this world. In all reality we can live free of discouragement no matter our circumstance. We, like Paul, can learn to be content in all circumstances, whether with plenty or in want. We have been freed from worry, anxiety, fretting, complaining, discontentment and discouragement. In both the spiritual and the physical sense, God has brought us up out of that misery. Although we may actually experience some unpleasant situations in life, it does not have to affect our state of mind, our joy, our peace. We can have confidence God is watching over us. We are being watched over. 

No Excuse

DEVOTION

EXODUS

NO EXCUSE

Ex 3:11-15

11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" 12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." 13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 15 God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob — has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

NIV

There are several truths we could focus on here. First of all the fact that God is, I AM. The second is the excuse of Moses, which is the first of three excuses, "Who am I?" It does seem interesting that Moses should ask who am I, and God should answer, I AM. First we have to understand that Moses is standing in his bare feet, on holy ground before a bush filled with flames yet not being consumed and having God audible speaking to him. It just cannot be any more of a direct contact with God, other than perhaps God appearing to him in the form of a person in all his glory, but then Moses would not be able to handle that and live. The physical cannot inherit the eternal. It would make sense the physical man could not actually see God in all his eternal glory, although he was able to see Jesus in the physical representation of God. Yet here Moses stands in the presence of the Almighty and he attempts to give him an excuse why he should be the one chosen to go back to Egypt and talk Pharaoh into letting the Israelites leave. We are going to see more excuses in the complete exchange between God and Moses, but let us consider this first excuse for now. "Who am I that I should go?" Was Moses just being humble or did he actually not have any confidence in himself or God? Was he being afraid, thinking of what happened and how he was scorned by the Hebrews? Did he truly feel inadequate for the task? God told him that he would be with him and not only that but that as a sign he would in fact worship God after he brings them out of Egypt. God was foretelling Moses the future. He was telling him he would be successful in bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses still is not convinced and asked who he should tell the Israelites sent him to bring them out. God just isn’t any plainer than what he tells him. Our lesson is in this excuse of Moses. Did he truly not know who God was, or his name? Yet he is attempting to excuse himself from this task. We know when God speaks to us, when he directs us in the way we should go. We know when it is God and when it is ourselves who make a decision for our life path. When God tells us to do something or go someplace, or leave someplace, or speak to someone, or whatever, do we try to find some reason, some excuse not to do that which he requires of us? It would seem impossible for a believer to go through their entire life and never hear from God. We all think it is important to pray, to bring our petitions before him. But then why would we not think he would answer? He is not just a genie in a bottle who makes the answer show up. He wants to answer us, to speak into our hearts and minds. Sometimes he even speaks to us in an audible voice. Sometimes he even speaks without us first asking him something. Sometimes he does something to grab our attention so we are listening instead of talking. Either way, God does want to speak to us, to direct our paths, to show us the way we should go. There are times he speaks very plainly through his word. He has already given us so much direction, so many truths for us to live by. Why do we try to find excuses not to follow his directions? Surely we have always done what he has asked when he spoke directly, in an audible voice. No question about that at all. When he healed we testified, when he told us he would give us a new home, we went and found it, and he provided the funds. When he told us to live here, we sold our home and moved. This is the testimony of one of us; others have more, have other testimonies of when God spoke to them. So then why do we find excuses not to follow the rest of his speaking to our hearts and minds through his word? When he tells us not to store up treasures here on earth, why do we try to find an excuse why we should? When he tells us to love our enemies, why do we give some excuse why we should not? When he tells us make every effort to live in peace with all men, why do we try to excuse our not doing that? When he tells us to forgive those who sin against us, why do we try to find an excuse to harbor hard feelings instead? When he tells us to trust him, why do we want to trust ourselves? On and on the list could go, all throughout his word to us. Even with this great spectacular sign before him, Moses was having a difficult time just saying, yes Lord. That should give us some solace, knowing Moses was having a difficult time obeying right away. We certainly are not as great a man as Moses, but yet we need to see that when God speaks, either audibly or through his word, we need to listen and simply say, yes Lord. No excuse. 

Concerned

DEVOTION

EXODUS

CONCERNED

Ex 3:7-10

7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

NIV

From this text it would seem that God just now became concerned about the children of Israel. That after all the years of the harsh treatment from the Egyptians, he now has heard their moaning and groaning, their outcry because of their pain and suffering. But that cannot be the case. God does not ever leave us nor forsake us.

Deut 31:8

8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

NIV

Although he said this to them sometime after their rescue from the hand of the Egyptians, God is God and he does not change. Therefor since he created Adam and Eve he has been with his people, his creation. We could say this might only apply to his chosen people, the Israelites. The rest of creation is on their own, without his oversight, having been forsaken, given over to their depraved minds. The discussion regarding this concept is complete within the letter to the Romans, however just this portion shows us this might be true in a sense.

Rom 1:28

28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

NIV

Although he turned them over to their own depraved minds, it does not mean he forsake them, forgot all about them, even though they forgot all about him. This is what appears to have happen to the children of Israel for those many years in Egypt. It appears they had forsaken God during the good times, but after being so long in the bad times, they remembered to cry to God for help. He was there all along waiting to hear them call upon him. Some might say God had this all planned from the get go. That man, the children of Israel, had no choice in the matter so that he could demonstrate his power to deliver, showing the world his grace through sending his Son to be our deliverer. There is a huge difference between predetermined and foreknowledge. He surely knows how everything is going to happen, but he does allow his creation to act on their own, even if they make mistakes. So Israel makes a mistake and forgets about God until things get really bad, then he acts on their behalf, he comes down to provide their deliverance. This might appear as God is reactive rather than active. In some sense that is true, he does respond to our prayers. He does desire for us to ask him anything in the name of Jesus. He does answer when we call upon him. But this is the way he decided to interact with us. It was his decision and his alone to create all things that are created including us. He designed our very being, our inner most parts. He did this for the purpose to have fellowship with us. To be our God and we to be his people. Yet he allows his people the ability to choose to ignore him. When they do, he simply gives them over to their own choices, but when we call upon him, he is there to answer our call. He never left, he never forsakes us, and he always is willing to answer our call. He has always been concerned about the children of Israel, and he is always concerned about us. His willingness to allow us to wander off on our own also shows his concern for us. No matter what we do, he does not become unconcerned about us, forsaking us to our own matters. But when we forget about him, we do not call upon his name, we do not want or care about him. Yet his concern is shown in that somehow he reminds us of his love. In those days he used various methods, today he has sent his Spirit to convict mankind of their need of a Deliverer, a Savior. He wants all men to call upon his name. He is concerned about all his creation. Through this life of Moses, he shows us how he provides for our redemption, our deliverance from the bondage of sin. As the children of Israel were in bondage, so were we, but God was concerned about them, and he has been and will continue to be concerned about us. 

Holy Ground

DEVOTION

EXODUS

HOLY GROUND

Ex 3:5-6

5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

NIV

Although we included these verses in our last thoughts about “Here I am” when God got the attention of Moses through spectacular means, it would be good for us to look this holy ground for a moment. Again, we have already touched on this aspect of holy ground and we are thinking that we are holy ground as the Spirit dwells within. Whenever God shows up it is holy ground. God has shown up within us therefor we are holy ground. How does that affect the way we live? Do we in effect take off our sandals? What did it mean to take off his sandals? It has certainly been a custom throughout the ages in the Eastern world to remove shoes when entering a home as a sign of respect. There is historic records which reveal many religious temples held that requirement of removing shoes or sandals in order to preform any ritual or religious act. The sandal which Moses may well have worn might have been similar to the Roman type sandals. These were basically a sole strapped on the foot with leather strappings. The problem with that type of footwear is dirt, dust, pebbles and such could find their way onto the soul of the foot making walking a bit uncomfortable. However it also could signify for us walking in the way of sin. The dirty foot represents the filth of the world. Removing this sandal carried with the idea of washing the foot, especially before eating. It was customary the host would wash his guest’s feet. We see Jesus doing this. We do not know if Moses had the ability, the availability of water to wash his feet as he approach the bush, being told to remove his sandals. But the idea is there, to cleanse oneself, at least that portion which has had contact with the pollutions of the world, in this case his feet, when entering the presence of God. What portion of us has had contact with the pollutions of the world? Most likely it is not our feet, but our heart. We certainly cannot remove our heart as we enter the presence of God. But what we can do is have a circumcised heart, exposing all our heart to God for him to cleanse and make pure and holy and acceptable to dwell within. Does this mean we have no more pollution of the world within? As with the people of old, they needed to get from one place to another picking up the dirt of the world as they traveled and thus needed to remove, wash their feet daily before eating, or entering a temple, the presence of their god or in the case of Moses, God. We are continually exposed to the dirt of the world, in a greater sense then the dirt of the earth. We in effect pick up some of that dirt along the path of life. But daily as we enter communion with God, we need that cleansing experience. We know the concept of this when we gather together for that taking of the “Lord’s Supper”.

1 Cor 11:27-29

27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

NIV

But should we not also do this whenever we enter the presence of God? That would mean before entering church for one example. Instead of all the chit chat should we not be preparing our hearts for worship, removing any of the filth of the world? Yes, being together is a form of celebration of being freed from the bondage of sin. Yes, we spend some time greeting one another, smiling and sharing some information about our lives, and that is good. But is the few moments of singing together just an exercise in music or are we actually in worship? If we have not taken the time to remove our sandals, in effect bare our hearts before God, we may not truly be able to experience his presence. Perhaps we should be spending more time in solemn examination of ourselves before the service starts, or even before we enter the sanctuary, or the building for that matter. Yet we still should contend with the fact we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and as such we should always be in the state of self-examination and having our heart continually being cleanse as we are in the presence of God, as well as he is in our presence being within us. Let us remove our sandals, we are on holy ground. 

Here I am

DEVOTION

EXODUS

HERE I AM

Ex 3:1-6

3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight — why the bush does not burn up." 4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." 5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

NIV

Some questions has been posed as to whether Reuel was also called Jethro or is the original word translated father-in-law simply mean relative. What is proposed is Jethro is actually Moses brother-in-law who seceded his father as the priest of Midian, Reuel now being dead, since it has been forty years now that Moses has been among them. However that is not germane to our lesson here. What we have is the calling of Moses by God in the most of spectacular of ways. Why did he choose to draw the attention of Moses by having a bush full of fire, yet not being consumed by it, leaves some questions. Perhaps Moses was not very aggressive in his faith. Although, he was very aware he was a Hebrew, he did spend forty years in the household of Pharaoh with all the beliefs in multiple gods. Now he has lived and married into the household of a priest of Midian, who we are not certain whether he was a priest of God or of some god. We know looking ahead into chapter 18 that after Moses tells him all that God, Yahweh, has done in the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt, he praises Yahweh and acknowledges he is greater than any other god. So at this point we might believe he is serving some other god. By the time of his experience seeing the burning bush, he has spent some eighty years surrounded by people who serve other gods, actually being family a member with them. First as a son of Pharaoh and now as a son-in-law of the Priest of Midian. Could all those years have influenced his belief system enough that God needed to do something spectacular in order to grab his attention? Although Moses was indeed a person God had predetermined to use he needed to wait until Moses was ready to be used. We recall the preceding passage about God remember his covenant, hearing the outcry of the children of Israel. If he had preplanned to use Moses when he reached eighty years of age, he had already determined to deliver Israel from the hands of the Egyptians eighty years before their outcry, when Moses was born. However our lesson is in this mindset of Moses. Was he in tune with God all those years or had he sort of drifted away having been diverted by being surrounded by those who worshipped other gods. Surely he was aware of Yahweh, but was he serving and worshipping him? We too are surrounded by people everywhere that serve other gods. We are continually being influenced by their beliefs. Every television ad, every radio ad, every magazine ad, even many of the programs themselves we watch and listen to could have some influence on our thinking. The people we associate with at work, or at play, even other Christians can have an influence on our thinking. Although other believers do worship God, denominational biases might override our common worship. Conversations turn to attempts to influence us to believe their denominational bias is the right interpretation of scripture. As with Moses, we are continually bombarded with external influences that could affect our relationship with God. God needed to get his attention so he could speak with him about what he needed Moses to do. Does God need to do something extra ordinary to grab our attention in order for him to have a conversation with us? Without spending much time on the Holy ground aspect of their encounter, it is certainly Holy ground whenever God shows up. Now having said that, are we not the temple of the Holy Spirit? Then should not our bodies be Holy ground and should not we be in constant communication with God? He has already done some spectacular to grab our attention, he has revealed the truth about his salvation of our soul through Jesus and he has sent his Spirit to dwell within us. How more spectacular could he be to get our attention? Do we need some physical miracle, like a burning bush? He has even done physical miracles for many of us as well. He has healed, he has provide miraculously. He has guided us directly, actually speaking so we can hear his voice. He has told us to be still and know he is God. Over and over again he wants to be the major influence in our lives, so let us not allow those distractions to overpower his still small voice when he calls upon us to do his will, his bidding, his requirements of service. Let us always be ready to answer, “Here I am”.  

Aliens

DEVOTION

EXODUS

ALIENS

Ex 2:18-25

18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, "Why have you returned so early today?" 19 They answered, "An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock." 20 "And where is he?" he asked his daughters. "Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat." 21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, "I have become an alien in a foreign land." 23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

NIV

So we have Moses on a break so to speak off in the land of Midian, having helped these women, and their father inviting him to stay, giving him a wife and they having a son. This is several years of time that has just happened in a few short verses. In fact we are even told it was a long period. We too could take a break from learning a lesson from Moses and return to the children of Israel for our lesson. There is a lesson about their crying out to God and he remembering them. Had he forgotten about them that he needed to be remembered hearing their cry? This is a phrase that seems a little confusing, but we should note he really never forgot them, but they forgot about him. It took years and years before they cried out to him because of their suffering. Could we say that God did not move on their behalf because they did not seek him? Could we also then say that he does not move on our behalf unless we seek him? Before we were saved we certainly could say we never cried out to God because of our suffering. Now that does not mean he was not watching or even making a case or a cause for us to seek him. It may even be he did act in order to bring us to himself. But in order to be born again, to be saved, to gain eternal life, we needed to cry out to him for salvation. This is the sense we see these phrases “he remembered them” and “was concerned about them”. God allows us to roam this life on our own, if that is our choice. He does not intervene in our affairs unless we ask him to. But accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior we have asked not only for him to intervene, we have asked him to be the Lord and Master of our lives and thus he now has complete authority over us and so he continually acts on our behalf. Yet we still need to cry out to him on a daily basis so to speak. We still need to be in prayer, bringing our petitions, but more importantly listening to his voice, his Spirit, leading us into all truth, guiding our lives, our minds, our decisions, our hearts, our actions and reactions. The only thing God forgets about us now is our sin. Then again he never forgets, he just never recalls it to us, or holds it against us, or remembers it to us. This is the sense he remembered the Israelites. However, we could still learn something here in the life of Moses. The name he gives his son, Gershom, which means he has become an alien in a foreign land does bring us to a truth about our lives. Did not Moses think of himself as an alien in Egypt? He was born there so wouldn’t he be an Egyptian? Did the people of those days consider their citizenship by the country of their birth, or by their nationality, ancestry or ethnicity? It seems clear Moses thought of himself as a Hebrew, yet Reuel and his daughters thought Moses was an Egyptian. This may have been because of his garments, rather than his facial features, although he was most likely a very handsome, fine featured man, resembling the features of Egyptians rather than Hebrews. Nevertheless what we can make of this is he considered himself an alien, either way. He was no longer in Egypt, nor was he in the Promised Land to his forefathers. He was no longer in the place of his birth and he was not yet in the place he was promised, so he was an alien. We were born in this land, the world. It is the place of our birth, yet once we became born again as citizens of the kingdom of God, we no longer retain our citizenship in this world, we become aliens. We have yet to arrive at the Promised Land, the new city of Jerusalem, but we are also no longer in the land of our birth. We should be living as Moses considered himself, as an alien in a foreign land.

Heb 11:13-16

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

NIV

We too are all these people still living by faith even when we die. We might not see that which we are promised before our death, but we admit we are aliens and strangers on earth. If we think about this world, we could return to it, but we are longing for a better place, a heavenly one. Therefor God is not ashamed to be called our God, for he has prepared a city for us. Let us truly live as aliens here.

Identity

DEVOTION

EXODUS

IDENTITY

Ex 2:11-17

11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?" 14 The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known." 15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

NIV

Well a lot has happened before Moses grew up, but we are not told anything of these years before he grew up from the three month old found in the river by the daughter of Pharaoh. If fact it is approximately forty years that has past when this incident occurred. What we know is that he never thought himself to be anything but a Hebrew. Although he was raised as the same as a son of Pharaoh he always knew he was a Hebrew. Although we are not expressly told that fact, it is clearly evident in the context of the narrative. What we do not know, is this the first time he when out to watch them at their hard labor or had he done this throughout his growing up in the palace of Pharaoh? The only reason we are told about this day is because of his actions. Thinking no one could see him, he kills an Egyptian who he saw beating one of his fellow Hebrews. Again we are not told if he waited until the Egyptian left, walking away, being alone, or he killed in in the presence of the beaten Hebrew. According to the text, it appears he thought no one could see him do this, so he must have waited until the Egyptian was alone. Yet we are told he was seen and the next day when he tried to arbitrate a dispute among two Hebrews his actions were outed. Although the narrative brings us to his fleeing Egypt and arriving at Midian where he will meet his wife, have sons, and live the next phase of his life, our lesson is within his knowing he has always been a Hebrew living as an Egyptian. Growing up, being considered as a son of Pharaoh, Moses would have been schooled in all the higher points of this civilization. He would have learned all the knowledge he would need to be the leader of the children of Israel. Although he was not spiritually ready yet for this task, he had the knowledge, the skills, provided by God through the Egyptians. What we learn here can be twofold. First we can learn knowledge and skills in this world, but their purpose should not be self-serving, but we should recognize God intends us to use them for the benefit of his kingdom. The scriptures are full of words that admonish us to serve each other. This is but one example.

1 Thess 5:11

1 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

NIV

What we learn in this world, should serve as a tool so we can encourage, exhort, teach, build up, and help each other. Secondly and perhaps most importantly we can learn about how we identify ourselves. Although Moses grew up in wealthy Egyptian lifestyle, he knew he was a Hebrew. We could say, because of the text, it took him forty years to make that final choice. But that is not what we are told. We are simply told about one day when a particular situation happened. The point here is how we identify ourselves. When asked who we are, do we answer, an engineer, a teacher, a janitor, a truck driver, a lawyer, a banker, a salesman, a business owner or perhaps we answer, we are Afro-American, Italian-American, German or English  or whatever our education, or profession or ancestral background? Should we not answer, a believer in Jesus Christ? Is that not our true identity? It could have been a far better life, at least in a worldly sense, for Moses had he remained living as an Egyptian. But his true identity caused him to have to leave all that behind. Should we not learn something here as well? If we never reveal our true identity the world will never turn us away, in fact, it will embrace us. We might find a great deal of success and wealth from the world’s embrace. But if it knew our true identify perhaps certain forms of persecution would rear their ugly heads. Although we do have to live in this world, we do not have to identify with it, we need to know and see ourselves for who we truly are, followers of Jesus Christ. This is our true identity.  

Life through water

DEVOTION

EXODUS

THROUGH WATER

Ex 2:1-10

2:1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. 5 Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said. 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?" 8 "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. 9 Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."

NIV

A deliverer of Israel is born, we know this is Moses. He is named by the daughter of Pharaoh rather than by his mother or father. What we know is that Moses was from the tribe of Levi. He had an older sister, Miriam, and an older brother Aaron. Aaron was most likely born before the decree to kill all the male babies. What is interesting is that the new law that is to be given is through Moses and the new priesthood will come through Aaron, both Levites. This phrase, fine child, carries the meaning that he was a very beautiful baby. This story is well known and is seen historically with all the life of Moses to follow, so what lesson can we glean from this portion for our lives today. It surely seems God had a plan and a purpose for Moses from the time of his conception, in fact even the family in which he was conceived. We might be tempted to be convinced in predestination, that man has no choice in the matter and course of his life. Surely Moses would serve as an example of this doctrine. Yet he was born during the time of the decree by Pharaoh to have all the male babies thrown into the Nile. Yet his mother hid him for three months. Had God predestined her to do that? We are not told she heard from God. We are not told she did not hear from him, but simply because of his being so fine looking she could not bear the thought of him being taken and thrown into the Nile. Yet at three months of age, she did exactly that, she put him in the Nile. True, not to drown him, but to try to save his life. Perhaps there are certain people, God predetermines to be used in certain ways, but there also is the human choice that is involved.  It is interesting that the life of Moses was spared by using the Nile, the tool meant to be used to extinguish the life of the Hebrew male babies. Christianity is the tool with which we are saved, yet it also is the tool meant to put our old nature to death.

Rom 6:6-7

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

NIV

Christ came to save us, but in order to be saved we must die, at least the old self must be put to death. Christ is the spring of living water. Yet in baptism we symbolically die in the water to be resurrected, born again to a new life in Christ. This experience in water is an outward evidence of what already has happened in our heart. Moses was put in the water and in a sense he was resurrected by the daughter of Pharaoh into a new life. We are seeing a picture of salvation already through the spring of living water, Jesus. He who saves us also causes us to die. 

Obey or Not

DEVOTION

EXODUS

OBEY OR NOT

Ex 1:15-22

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?" 19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive." 20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. 22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."

NIV

We are at the setup for the birth of Moses, but first we should deal with the situation at hand. The Pharaoh is trying his hardest to eliminate the birth rate of the Israelites by having all the male children killed at birth by the midwives. This may be the first attempt at social engineering. Males, of course not only would product more Israelites but they would grow into possible warriors that could overthrow the Egyptians. Our lesson is in the attitude and actions of the Hebrew midwives. Although we have been told within the New Testament to obey the laws of the land, which is those who have been placed in authority over us,

1 Peter 2:13-17

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

NIV

Still it appears the midwives did not know about this statement recorded in 1 Peter. Instead we have an example of exactly the opposite, not obeying the every authority instituted among men such as the king, the Pharaoh who was the supreme authority. Was it no God’s will for them to obey the command of Pharaoh? What we are told is their disobedience to Pharaoh was a result of their faith, their fearing God. It is one thing to live life under the authority of the land in which we live. We know the laws and pretty much confine ourselves to live within the constraints of them, except for those occasions we think we can get away with it.  That is to say we should abide by the rules of the road, which means, no speeding ever. When we speed we are disobedient to God, it is sin. We know we should not steal, such as cheating on our taxes. There may be other laws we think are not proper or are an evasion of our privacy and thus we tend to ignore them. Whatever the case, we should be living as believers in a land obeying all the laws showing our good behavior, which would silence any foolish talk about Christians. But when it comes to the will of God, this has a different story. When God’s will supersedes the law of the land, we need to obey God first.

Acts 4:18-20

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

NIV

Without recounting the whole of chapter four, this passage has the main point. Peter and John refused the law of those in authority over them, their religious leaders so to speak, because they were imposing a rule against the will of God. We need to be careful here, not to interpret this to mean we can refuse to obey the speed limit because God wants to get someplace right now. We cannot excuse the disobedience of the law except when it comes as a result of being restricted sharing the gospel, healing the sick in the name of Jesus, giving more than the law allows, or whatever else God desires us to do in his name. When the government declares pastors or churches must marry same sex people, then no matter the cost, we need to refuse that law for it clearly violates the law of God. It does not mean we should no love them, but we cannot follow that law. Because the midwives obeyed God rather than Pharaoh, God blessed them and gave them families of their own. Yes, we should live among the world being fine examples of law abiding citizens, but not at the expense of the gospel. When we stand up for God, he stands up for us. Live good lives among the people, but never relinquish our command to share the gospel. 

Remembering or not

DEVOTION

GENESIS

REMEMBERING OR NOT

Ex 1:11-14

11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.

NIV

We know this history, the story of the forced labor, the enslavement of the children of Israel, yet what has to do with our lives? The fact that exists within the framework of this ruthless treatment of them is they continued to multiply. No matter how hard they worked during the day, they still were finding the time and strength to multiply. This was not just by chance, but by the promise of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We will see in the next passage even the woman were worked ruthlessly. But God’s promise continued to be fulfilled. The more they were opposed, the more they multiplied and spread. A people who were one honored guests in the land were now dreaded. Some believers may have the opinion that as believers we should be living on a bed of roses. Our lives should be everything nice, always good things, always on top of the world. But we know that is not the case. Many believers suffer untold miseries, especially in certain parts of this world. It might be true that most of us believers living in America have a rather good life. But the point is we may not be promised the good life, but simply promised eternal life. Now we have more truths to read about and that Jesus told us he came to give us life and life more abundantly. He also told us that we could ask anything in his name and the Father would give it to us. That is as long as it is according to his will. He has given us the gifts of the Spirit, the armor of God, the fruit of the Spirit, and so much more, then what appears the children of Israel had when then were in Egypt. But what we are not told about them is their continued worship of God. Looking forward we know it was many years of this forced labor before they cried out to God. It does appear in that portion of text that God all of a sudden remembered them, but this is not the case, but we will get to that when we get there. The point here is their oppression was from the world and they were not seeking after God, even though he was making good on his promise by seeing to it they multiplied. Did they not remember what God had promised their forefathers? Had they forgotten about God and his promise to them? Because of the text and the content of their lives, it appears they were not remembering God. Again, as we look forward in the scriptures, which is looking back into the history of the children of Israel, we see many times when then turned away from remember God, they were taken into captivity. When they remembered God, he redeemed them from their situation. Over and over again this scenario played out in their lives. This has to be our lesson. The reason we could experience some real tough times in our good life, is we forget God. Sure we don’t actually forget God, but we forget to worship him, to truly worship him, trusting him completely with our lives. Yes, believers are being murdered in parts of the world. The Apostles were murdered for their faith. But that too is the key, for their faith. We may experience some horrific treatment by the world, but if it is because of our faith, so be it. But the point here is the children of Israel, from what we are told or not told, were not remembering God. We must think had they remembered God right away, they would have been on their way long before the situation became what it was. Had they remembered God, they would have been headed back to the land that was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob long before the new Pharaoh came into power. We have to believe they became complacent in their trust in God, living what they considered the good life in the land of Goshen within Egypt. We cannot become complacent in our good life, forgetting everything we are, all that we have, is from the hand of God. We need to always be giving him all the credit, all the honor, all the glory for all things in our life. We should always be remembering God in all we say and do. Let us not forget about him, thinking about our plans, our abilities, our success, our desires, and our life. 

Forgotten

DEVOTION

EXODUS

FORGOTTEN

Ex 1:1-10

1:1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."

NIV

It seems right to continue with the children of Israel in our devotion time. We cannot leave them now as there are many lessons ahead as we travel the road to the Promised Land with them. But for now they are certainly still in the land of Egypt and Joseph and his whole generation have died and as God had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob their descendants were becoming extremely numerous. We know from looking ahead their numbers exceeded over a two million people. What we do not know is the population number of the Egyptians. What we know is the new pharaoh did not know the story about Joseph and how he saved the country from starvation as well as made the pharaoh such a wealthy and powerful ruler actually owning all the land as well as the people. This is an amazing fact in itself. We would think a man as great as Joseph, with the great deeds he did for the benefit of the pharaoh would have been remembered by all men for all times. His name should have been embossed in the walls of history. But that is not the case, he and all he did in the land of Egypt has been forgotten because the new pharaoh, like most people, was totally self-absorbed with his own situation, his own power base, his own success. He had no basis for the fear he had of the people of Israel. He could have merely had a meeting with them and asked if they were happy in his land, or did they ever what to return to their own land from which they came. We are not told he ever actually talked with them, or found out anything about them other than he was afraid because of their numbers and that they might turn against him. So what is our lesson? Is it in the fear of the pharaoh? We are going to see his response to his fear next. Could our lesson be in the forgetting of Joseph? Certainly today those who do great things for the society in which they live have been immortalized in either books, or now on the internet, with thousands of records regarding their lives and deeds whether good or bad, righteous or evil. With the advent of Ancestry.com we have the ability to research many of our ancestors thus remembering their lives, their loves, their children and perhaps none of their deeds, unless they were famous. So it seems difficult to think that we would ever be forgotten as Joseph was in the land of Egypt. Yet there may be situations in our lives when we or our deeds are forgotten. How many people of our past lives remember us? The job we held forty years ago, the position we had thirty years ago may have been forgotten by those who hold those jobs or employ those people today. We want to think that we make some mark in this world, that we accomplish something of significance so our name will be remembered. Some of us take pride in the fact some people remember us and what we did for them many years ago. But will we be to some extent like Joseph was in the land of Egypt? Sure he was remembered by his people, but not by the world he lived in, Egypt. We will be remembered by some of our people, our fellow believers, but two to three generations from now the world in general will have forgotten us. A few people may have made such a mark in the cultural theirs names will remain, but we will not be among that group. Yet God, who knew us before we were formed in the womb, will never forget one shred of our lives, except of course our sin. Well he may never actually forget it, but he will never bring it up to us, ever. Yet he will always know everything about us, he not only knows our name, he knows our heart, our every thought. The amazing thing is, he will always still love us and he immortalizes us in Christ. We will forever be remembered for all generations, for all of eternity. Although the world may forget us some day, with God, we will never be forgotten.  

Aid of God

DEVOTION

GENESIS

AID OF GOD

Gen 50:22-26

22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.   24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." 25 And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." 26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

NIV

We have come to the end of the life of Joseph. We have seen so much to learn from him. Once again even in his last words to his family he gives us one last lesson. First it is interesting that his sons, sons are counted has his. That is the meaning of the phrase, placed on his knees. Although we are told he speaks to his brothers, the original word here is used in the widest applications and thus it could imply his brethren, his fellow Hebrews, all the descendants of Israel that came down into Egypt during the famine. His actual brothers may or may not be alive as Joseph was the second to the youngest of all of them. Nevertheless our lesson is not in this fact, but in his words. He affirmed to them God would surely come to their aid and take them up out of Egypt to the land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It is interesting that Joseph used the words, “come to your aid”. They were living the good life at this point. They were given the land of Goshen, the best part of Egypt, the fertile area to pasture their flocks. They had food and water and were living under the protection of Joseph through the grace of Pharaoh. Why would God have to give them aid? Could they not just pack up anytime they wanted and travel back to their promised land? It is evident his words were prophetic in nature as some hundreds of years later they would need the aid of God to bring them out of Egypt. But our lesson is in those same words and carry the same meaning. We are in a land that is not ours. We need the aid of God to bring us out from this land into the Promised Land, the kingdom of heaven. We cannot just pack up and travel there on our own.

1 Cor 15:50-57

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."  

55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"  

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

NIV

No, we need the aid of the Lord God to take us out of this land.  Just as he sent Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and take them to the Promised Land, he sent Jesus to bring us out of this land and take us to the ultimate Promised Land. We can see this in two ways. First in our life on this earth and second at the moment of our death. Because of Jesus we can be carried out of the life of sin and death, from the city of darkness that we once lived in. He brings us into the light of God. Although we are still on the same earth, we actually live in a different world. But as in the sense the children of Israel were trapped in Egypt, we are trapped in this world, in our bodies. Because of Jesus, we can and we will be brought out of this place and be lead into the Promised Land, the new city of Jerusalem. We will see other lessons looking forward watching the children of Israel's rebellion against Moses, wanting, wishing they were still back in Egypt because the journey is too difficult. Enough said, we will get to that lesson later. But let us keep our eyes on Jesus. On the truth that he is our aid, he has come to take us out of here and bring us to the place he has promised us. Jesus is the aid of God. 

The place of God

DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE PLACE OF GOD

Gen 50:18-21

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

NIV

There is something to be said about being humble, but the actions of the brothers does not appear to be motivated by humility but rather fear and/or self-preservation. Nevertheless the result is the same in their bowing before Joseph declaring their servitude. Although we might be able to take our lesson from this, it is the words and heart of Joseph which offer our lesson. He told them he was in the place of God. Although his brothers surely intended to do him harm, God intended it for good. There may be times in our lives when it seems things are not going as well as we had planned them. We might even have experienced some truly rough patches. Joseph thought he had life by the tail as a youth. He was his father’s favorite. He was the only one who had a coat of many colors, he was getting visions from God and things were simply going so well. Then thrown in a cistern and sold into slavery. So much for the good life. But then he lands in the best of places, in charge of a rich man’s holdings. But because of false accusations he ends up in prison. Once again he lands on his feet and is given charge of the prison. He helps people know their dreams and gets forgotten for years, but then the final lifting up to the second in command of all Egypt. Isn’t that just like our lives? We think we’re getting ahead and then the bottom falls out. Then somehow we make it back, we might make a few changes in our plans and things start looking up again. Then another setback. Another adjustment. What we have to come to grips with is that we are in the place of God.

Prov 16:9

9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

NIV

When we realize we are exactly where God desires us to be, we can live at peace with our situation, whether that be in good times or bad. He has a purpose for our lives, and he brings about that purpose according to his will. The good work that he started in us, he will finish as well. Our lives are a series of events, experiences which teach us about our relationship with him. We learn to depend on him more and more through each situation. We learn to trust his plans for us more than ours. We learn to be content in whatever circumstance we are in, for we know God has us in the palm of his hand. Our whole life is for the purpose to bring honor and praise to God. He works in each person, but some close off their hearts and minds. Some refuse to even acknowledge his existence. They have buried any knowledge they ever had of him with evil thoughts and deeds. But we are not one of those. We have heard his voice calling us to himself. Therefore we live as one of his, submitting to his authority in our lives.  So we live with peace, with joy, with contentment, with thanksgiving in our heart and mind, because we are in the place of God. 

Wept

DEVOTION

GENESIS

WEPT

Gen 50:12-17

12 So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father. 15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 17'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

NIV

Life must go on. The funeral was over, the time of mourning was over, and the living must proceed with whatever they do. The language here does seem a little strange when it says that when Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead. It makes it sound as if they had no idea he was dead until the funeral was over. Oh, that was our father we just buried, and mourned for seventy days? They knew he was dead, they were at his bedside when he breathed his last. But what this passage, these words are conveying is the idea that after all the mourning, the viewing, the funeral and more mourning and grieving were over, they now considered their relationship with Joseph without the intervention of their father. The thought that all that Joseph did for the family was out of respect for his father and now that he is gone, they are afraid he will now exact his revenge on them for their mistreatment of him those years before. They were afraid he held a grudge against them. So they invoke the name of Joseph’s father. It is interesting they did not say our father, but your father. What we are seeing in all this is the relationships between siblings after the last parent dies. What appears to be have been the case in this family was again a dysfunctional relationship between the brothers. In the beginning, they could not agree as to how to get rid of Joseph. Now they are in his debt and their father is gone. How will this relationship endure after the patriarch has gone? Sometimes we see this very same scenario play out in our lives with our siblings. There could have been some tensions between us, but we remained civil out of respect for our parents. After their death, the civility may either turn hostile or disappear completely, simply all going our separate ways, never speaking again. These brothers made an attempt, whether what they said was the truth or not, to establish a working relationship with Joseph. His response to their message was to weep, again, giving us a picture of Jesus. Joseph had a good heart. He was not a perfect man by no means, but he did have a relationship with God and thus his heart was softened toward his brothers. We will see this all play out in the next portion of this narrative. But this should, even now, just knowing he wept, give us an insight into how we should respond to our siblings when we are all that are left after the death of our parents. That age old phrase, that blood is thicker than water, should bear some truth for us. If we are at odds with any of our siblings as believers, such as Joseph was, we should not take the opportunity to take revenge, but we should respond with the love of Jesus. This may be harder than simply saying we should. Sometimes there are years of dysfunctional behaviors that need to be hurdled. Jealousy, envy, and mistreatment based on hatred are just a few of the attitudes Joseph’s brothers needed to deal with now. Perhaps we might have to acknowledge certain attitudes we carry regarding our siblings before we can weep and carry on as Jesus would have us do. Although each of us may have moved on with our own lives being married with children and even grandchildren, all that is left of our original family is our siblings. Should we not make every effort to be at peace with them? Should we not love them as Jesus does? If the only thing that was holding any relationship between us was a parent, we are missing something in the truth of the word of God. Maybe we should have wept. There is still time. 

Weeping and Mourning

DEVOTION

GENESIS

WEEPING AND MOURNING

Gen 50:1-6

50:1 Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court, "If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5'My father made me swear an oath and said, "I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan." Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.'" 6 Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do."

NIV

It is alright to cry. There is nothing wrong with lamenting the passing of a loved one. Yes, we today have faith in Jesus Christ, the first born of those who inherit eternal life. Are we then saying all those who believed in God in the Old Testament did not inherit eternal life? Did Jacob not go into the presence of God upon his death? We have to conclude he did, as did his father Isaac and his father Abraham, along with Noah and Adam as well as many others. It would seem unlikely that God condemned those who called upon his name, even though they were still sinners. But the point here is not about the outcome of Jacob at his passing, but rather the response of Joseph as well as all of Egypt. First he wept, for he was going to miss the presence of his father. Joseph had spent too many years as it were away from his father. He did not get to enjoy all the good times, having all those memories. But in the later years of his father’s life he reunited and rekindled their relationship. Now it was once again time to be without him.  There are certain people with whom we have relationships that remained completely intact during the course of our lives. There are others we seem to spend years somewhat estranged, but we have opportunities to reconnect. In both cases there is going to be a time when they or we pass into eternity. Weeping and grieving are a natural response. We will miss the presence of our loved one. If we are the one passing they will miss our presence. Life is not the same without this member of the family. Surely Joseph would miss his father, but there is more to this lesson. After he wept, he became the Joseph he had become, and directed, being the second in command of all Egypt, to have his father embalmed, prepared for his burial. Without going into the lengthy detail of the embalming process the Egyptians used, it took forty days. Then all of Egypt mourned with Joseph over the loss of his father for seventy days. We sort of do this, at least for that one evening at a viewing or as some call it a wake. We come to mourn with the remaining members of a family who lost a loved one. But then life most go on. Things most go on, we cannot mourn forever. We are going to see the funeral procession from Egypt to Canaan, and that lasts for a long time, including more mourning. We follow that example, but again for a much shorter ride and length of time. What we can say is that it is alright to mourn, to experience grief because one we love has stepped into the presence of God. That is, of course, if they are a believer. What about those family members who are not believers. There may be more of a reason to mourn and grieve for them, then for ourselves. If we are not in their presence at the exact moment of their last breathe, we are never sure of their last words or thoughts about their sin, about God, about Jesus and their relationship with him. So we may never know their outcome until we reach heaven. Then once there we are assured there is no weeping, no tears. But what that also brings to our thoughts is the responsibility we should have to ensure our loved ones, our family know the truth. What they do with that truth is up to them, but they will have heard it and in those moments, if they are fortunate enough to have moments, before their last breathe they have the opportunity to repent and see Jesus. Still it is alright to mourn.