I woke up this morning wondering what I would be writing about next, and realized that I didn’t have a clue. Then I did my Bible Study homework for the day this is what came about.
I was studying today about freedom from the shackles of sin and we were to read the following passage and note the Israelites’ condition. What resulted can only be from God, because I certainly wouldn’t have though of it.
Exodus 1:8-11 (NIV) –
8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become much too numerous for us.
10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
I underlined the following “did not know”, “deal shrewdly” (or wisely in the version in the book), “fight against us and leave”, and “forced labor”. While I’m not sure I actually followed the author’s instructions, God wove a strand between these phrases that describes our current lives much too often.
We as a culture “do not know” God any more. We had failed to know Him or have forgotten who He is. We decide to “deal shrewdly and wisely” with our situations, based on our own worldly knowledge. We fear that what we have and desire in our lives will “fight against us and leave”. So to keep this from happening we go into “forced labor” to hold it all together, trying to store up as much stuff as possible.
It is no wonder we are often left feeling stressed out, overloaded, unsatisfied and discontent. Our response to this is usually to make some changes and cut something out. Why is that usually attending a Bible Study, or church on Sunday, or reading the Bible, or prayer time?
The place where we can find peace, rest, contentment and satisfaction is often the first thing we chuck overboard when we feel overloaded. Is it because we don’t know what we are tossing away? Do we know God well enough to know what He has to offer, what He as promised or to trust Him enough to handle it all? Somehow, my being in control and looking out for myself sounds safer than letting Him take over. The world will tell you this is the safe way every time, but have you found that to be true?
The danger of cutting back just a little is that it will lead to a little more and a little more until we wake up one day and realize that we have made God a stranger in our lives. I have heard (and said) many times that I’m just too busy to study the Bible and spend time with God. That is the path to the wilderness. I know, I have been there. It is dry and parched. I spent too much time stressed out, dissatisfied and trying to find happiness. The world’s standards said I had a great life, but it was so much work to maintain that façade. What was the next thing to make us happy? Everything seemed just one step away from disaster, contentment was fleeting. I don’t want to go there again.
No matter where you are in your relationship with God, there is more to know about Him. So if you are thinking about making some changes, don’t push your relationship with Him to the side. Seek Him, He will find you.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV).
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