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.