June 11 SOAP Devotional

June 11, 2009
Read Exodus 2
To read this text go to: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%202&version=51

Scripture- Exodus 2:23-25- Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.

Observations-The saga of Israel’s suffering continues throughout this chapter. It seems at first glance that God was no longer concerned about them.They went to Egypt as guests of honor at the invitation of the Pharaoh and now, several generations later, were slaves subjected to oppressive conditions. The memory of their forefather, Joseph, and his significant contribution to the survival of Egypt was now long gone. Their babies had been murdered, and they were being subjected to the hardship of slavery. I am sure they wondered where God was through all of this. The Hebrew here literally says that the way God heard their suffering through experiencing it with them—the sense of God entering their suffering himself. When the time was right, God acted.

Application- This chapter is not so much about God’s failing memory (as if that were a problem, which it isn’t) as it is about setting the stage for Moses entry into the story. The incredible picture that is presented here reminds us that when we are in our own “valley of the shadow of death” we can know that God is well aware of what is going on and is concerned about the events of our lives. I have a seminary professor and mentor that said to us several years ago, “You are perfectly known by God and perfectly loved by God. These are both necessary realities for us to experience the complete love of God. If we were perfectly known without being perfectly loved, then we would cower in fear. If we were perfectly loved without being perfectly known, then we would play games with God. As it is, both are true and we can know that God loves us and cares about what happens in our lives.”

Prayer- God, thank you for both knowing and loving me perfectly. Thanks for not letting me play games with You and for loving me enough that I don’t have to cower in fear before You. Thank you for being my deliverer and for being present when I walk through my own dark valleys in life. Help us to remember that You are always present with us and You hear our prayers. Amen.

God is with us!
Pastor Matt


PS—Please keep Joyce Harre & her family in your prayers. She suffered a massive stroke yesterday and is not expected to live much longer. She just lost her husband, Bob, a little more than a month ago. She is very close to making the transition from the loving arms of her family into the loving arms of Jesus. She is currently in Tampa General Hospital. Her daughter and son are there with her.