January 28- Why, God?

January 28, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12;
Psalm 23; Proverbs 5:22

The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.

 ~C.S. Lewis

Exodus 5:22-7:25

Why, why, why?  Hey Big Guy, we are suffering here!  You have not rescued.  Things have gotten worse.  What are You doing?  Can you hear Moses' complaints to God? Can you relate to his anger at God? We all have the whys in our lives. Moses has his neck on the line as the leader who has approached Pharaoh.  Moses wants answers.  Here is what God says:

• I am the Lord, but did not tell my name to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Vs. 2-3
• I gave a promise to give them the land of Canaan. Vs. 4
• I am aware of the Israelite suffering, and I plan to fulfill my covenant with them. Vs. 5
• I will redeem you from slavery with mighty acts of judgment. Vs. 6

• I will make you my own special people. Vs. 7

Moses tries to tell the people this, but they are too discouraged to listen.  This exacerbates Moses' insecurities in his own ability to communicate.  He gets angrier. God tells him to go to Pharaoh again and say let my people go. Moses protests,  "I can't speak!" God demands that he do it.

Moses records his genealogy to confirm that he is a Levite.  The Levites will become the priests of the nation of Israel. 

Now Moses gets answers to the "whys." God comes to Moses and says that He is going to make Moses like God to Pharaoh and Aaron will act as a prophet to Moses.  God tells Moses His plan.  God intends to harden Pharaoh so that God can multiply His miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.  He intends to crush Egypt with a series of disasters as a means of judgment against them.  Moses was 80 years old at this time. This tells you that God can use each season of our lives for good. God is confiding in Moses.  Moses is one of the few people who gets to hear the "why" from God Himself!  This is amazing.

We now have a Mexican Stand-off of Miracles.  Moses goes to Pharaoh to make his request.  Pharaoh says no.  Moses does a miracle. Then the Egyptian magicians are able to do them, too.  The stand-off miracles are:

• the staff turns into a snake (Moses' snake eats the magicians' snakes)
• turns water into blood (the whole Nile river and all water that is presently being used), but so do they

Pharaoh's heart is hard as predicted.  One week passes and the Egyptians are digging wells next to the Nile to get drinking water.

Lesson:  This is God's story.  He picks the bad guys and the good guys.  We do not often get the whys from God immediately. There is drama and suffering.  There are protagonists and antagonists in His story.  He is a good story teller.  He is in control.

Where do you fit in the story of history?  Are you one of the good guys?

Matthew 18:21-19:12

Here is the million dollar question. Peter asks, "How often should I forgive a person?"  He thinks he is being generous when he suggests seven times.  Jesus responds that it should be seventy-seven times.  Why does Jesus say this?  Is that the real number? No. His point is illustrated in the subsequent story of the king who forgives debt.  We are all debtors/sinners in this story.  God is the gracious king who forgives our incredibly large debt.  We are required to forgive the small debts/sins that are committed against us as we act in appreciation for the forgiveness of our large debt.  Mimic God. Be like Him.  He forgives. So should you and I.

I am not suggesting that forgiveness is easy.  It is something done with total reliance on God.  Jesus gives us this story so that when we consider forgiving someone else, we focus on how much God has been generous and merciful towards us. He wants us to imitate His mercy. This is another part of being a Christian that requires obedience and humility.

After Jesus heals more people, he is asked (again by the religious teachers who are all caught up in rules) if divorce is allowed.  Jesus takes a teaching moment to go back to the Garden of Eden and remind them that the Bible says that man and woman were intended to become one flesh and form their own family.  As one flesh, they were not to be separated because God actually joins them together and sees them as a unit. They then bring up a contradiction. Moses allowed divorce in the Law. Jesus explains that this provision was because of their hard hearts/sinfulness. 

Jesus emphasizes the seriousness of divorce, except for in the case of adultery.  Jesus tows a hard line here. The disciples cry out that it would be better not to marry under such hard rules.  Jesus does not deny the truth of their statement.  What is his point? 

Marriage is a sacred symbol. Jesus is showing us that marriage is a dramatically important symbolic act.  It represents more than our earthly needs and desires. It is a picture of God and his bride (the Church).  Both are to be faithful in their relationship.  Nothing will tear God from his bride.  They are one unit in intimacy. 

Do you realize this about marriage?  Have you ever realized Christ's opinion about this? If you have been part of a divorce this is not designed to make you feel guilty. All of us have been touched by divorce in some way.  God's grace covers those who have been touched by divorce. That does not change the teaching that Christ felt compelled to give to the world.

Psalm 23

Shepherd's psalm.  Jesus is our good shepherd who leads us into God's presence.  Think back on Moses, the shepherd, being chosen to take his people into the Promised Land.  Moses is a type of Christ. Do you realize that Jesus puts up with our complaining and moaning just like Moses did for the Israelites?  Jesus will successfully bring his sheep home, in spite of difficulties and the evils of this world.


Proverbs 5:22-23

It is possible to be held hostage by sin.  You can die from lack of self-control.  Be wary about sexual sins.

What did you notice today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton