READING: Exodus 5-7, Matthew 17:14-18:9
The Egyptians had made the work of the Hebrews much more difficult. Now, the Hebrews would have to gather their own straw to make bricks while also living up to an imposed quota. Moses cried out to God, even wondering why God sent him to Pharaoh in the first place; after all, things had gotten worse since he had talked to the Egyptian leader.
God, though, fully intended to lead His people back to the Promised Land. He intended to free His people and to keep His word: “I will bring you to the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession” (Exo. 6:8). As God reminded Moses of His commitment, three times He echoed a phrase that obviously mattered: “I am the Lord” (Exo. 6:2, 6, 8). In fact, the phrase bookends God’s words to Moses, thus emphasizing their importance. The God who would free His people is the Lord.
I want these words to echo in my head today, too. If I wonder what the Lord is up to in my life, I want to say, “but He is the Lord.” When temptation comes, I want to hear Him whisper in my ear, “I am the Lord.” If I worry about something, I want the reminder that the One who is the Lord is greater than all my worries. I want to follow Him, obey Him, and praise Him today simply because He is the Lord.
Prayer: “God, You are the Lord. Help me to remember that truth.”
Tomorrow’s reading: Review and catch-up day