Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, "I have become an alien in a foreign land"; and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, "My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh." Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the desert, where he was camped near the mountain of God. Jethro had sent word to him, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons." So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God." Exodus 18:1-12
It had been a long while since Moses left Midian and his father-in-law Jethro. You’ll remember that Moses had fled Pharoah after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. He ended up in Midian and, after protecting the seven daughters of a priest named Jethro from a group of shepherds at a well, Moses was welcomed to stay with Jethro and his family. This led to his marriage to Zipporah and the two sons she bore, Gershom and Eliezer.
You’ll also remember that Moses, while tending Jethro’s flock, encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb. It was there that Moses was sent by God to free the Israelites from Pharoah and Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land…an act that He was now carrying out with God’s help and providence, just as God had promised when He said He would be with Moses during the deliverance. We read in our scripture that Moses had sent Zipporah and his two sons back to Midian and Jethro, no doubt to protect them from any hardship that might come their way during the exodus. Now, Jethro had journeyed to see Moses and reunite him with his family after he "heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt."
Moses, seeing Jethro and family coming, went "to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent." It’s obvious that Moses respected his father-in-law a great deal, never forgetting his loving hospitality in a time when he was facing Pharoah’s wrath and separation from his Hebrew family. You’ll remember Moses feeling like he was an "alien in a foreign land". Jethro had helped him feel like family and less like an alien. Moses now extended his hospitality as he welcome Jethro into his tent.
Once there, we read where "Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them." This led to Jethro being "delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians" as he proclaimed, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God."
I hope you recognized a remarkable truth in that part of today’s passage: testimony about what the Lord has done for us leads others to a spirit of worship and praise. I find myself ever increasingly inspired by the testimonies of all the people who read my blog entries and tell me how the word of the Lord touched their heart in a special way. There is so much encouragement packed into every story shared. I can see fully how Jethro was brought to know that the Lord is greater than all other gods because the same thing happens to me and countless others every single minute of every single day. Rest assured that not a second goes by in this creation where the work of God is not being lifted up, praised and worshipped by somebody. Is this not reason to rejoice and praise Him right now? My friends, God is good…all the time. He has blessed us abundantly and immeasurably. He is always with us…just as He promised. And He loves us without condition or limit. This is our God…the same God of Moses and Jethro and every man or woman who has ever walked this earth since creation. Won’t you tell someone about Him today and every day thereafter that He blesses you with. For He and only He is worthy of our worship and praise. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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