In following the traditional Lectio Divina steps here is what God impressed on my heart today as I read through the chapter.
Literal Reading: What does the author want us to know? What is happening in the scene? What is the context reveal to us? God equips Moses for the task of going to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh. He gives him power to perform signs and wonders, three in particular: he gives him the power to turn his staff into a serpent, restore a leprous hand to health and turn water into blood. God also equips Moses in other ways, first by permitting Moses to ask questions God is establishing a safe relationship for Moses to return to Him again and again, which he will do. He provides him with knowledge in detail of what is going to happen, he provides a companion in His brother Aaron, favor from his father n law, who releases Moses to return to Egypt and blesses him. Moses has not only a faithful wife, but a wise God-fearing wife who actually saves him from the Lord who seeks to put him to death on the return back to Egypt. God prepares and girds Moses up with everything he needs to go back to Egypt lead the sons of Israel to freedom.
Meditation: what is God bringing to the surface of the text for me today? How is he speaking to me personally? What parts struck me? 4:21 “And the Lord said to Moses when you go back to Egypt see that you perform before pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” All the wonders did not make pharaoh believe, the signs that Moses performed didn’t have the reward of Pharoah’s favor or faith. It seemed such a waste that God would even bother having Moses perform the signs. But He obeyed God regardless of the outcome. God still said go do it, even though it did not have any “success” in the sense we would define as success, although the purpose maybe was to harden pharaohs heart. The very same signs that gave the sons of Israel hope and causes them to worship, hardened pharaoh’s heart. But what I gleaned from this passage is that sometimes God asks or instructs us to do something and we don’t concern ourselves with the outcome. We do it for the sake of obeying God. That song comes to mind Thy Will by Hillary Scott, “I’m so confused I know I heard you loud and clear so I followed through and somehow I ended up here.” How often I have heard these words come out of my very mouth, “I thought if I did this, then God would do that.” I’ve done what He asked, why isn’t he answering, delivering, helping…Marriage comes to mind, so many marriages, where the wife is expecting a certain outcome if she honors and submit as commanded. God is faithful to his promises, but we have to be careful what we believe about what he has promised. Did God promise Moses that pharaoh would believe, no, but that didn’t matter he still wanted Moses to perform the signs before Pharoah. Did God promise marriage would be easy or happy and peaceful? Or did I assume because God has ordained marriage mine would be good, or did I just want that to be true. So I convince myself if I do x,y,z then God will do “his part” then God will give me “my miracle”
Response: Lord Equip me to obey you regardless of the outcome, regardless if I get the reward of success, or the outcome I expect or the thing I want to see happen Forgive me when I complain or expect that my obedience should somehow gain a certain triumph.
Transformation: I think God desires that I change my mindset, and expectations. Success or reward is not the goal when it comes to doing what the Lord has asked of me, it is simply to obey God. God is my goal, relationship with him, loving him, knowing him, receiving his word worship is the goal. Even when I act in obedience.
my faith place 