TUESDAY, JANUARY 22
Exodus 6:10-30
Deuteronomy 6:13-15

“Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God,
and serve him …”

GO IN, SPEAK!

The LORD instructed Moses to go directly to Pharaoh and specifically tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel leave his land. This was tantamount to telling Pharaoh to obey the LORD to free his slaves and relinquish his rule over them. Moses expressed to the LORD that not only was he weak in speech, but it was also pointless for him to say those things. So far, the LORD had been responding to Moses’ questions. But now, we simply have the record that the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and issued the same charge. There was no response from the LORD to Moses’ question this time. In fact, what is included next is the genealogy of their families whom the LORD said Moses and Aaron were to bring out of Egypt (Exod 6:14-27). In Exodus 6:28-30, Moses again questioned the LORD’s instructions to him to go to His people and Pharaoh, as the message he was to carry to them remained unchanged, and they probably would not pay attention to him. Having assured Moses of His promises and sending him on this mission (Exod 5), the LORD gave Moses a principle. God’s plans and hence what Moses was to say was not contingent upon the children of Israel’s great unhappiness nor his poor speech. They might be even more unwilling to listen and more resistant to what he said. But God still simply told Moses to continue to speak according to the words He gave. Neither was what Moses was to say or do dependent upon whether Pharaoh would pay attention to or agree with him.

Likewise, what is taught in church must not be based on what people want to hear. Pastors and teachers must faithfully carry the LORD’s message and do God’s will regardless of the response. As worshippers, we must not be like the children of Israel in this instance.

THOUGHT: It is not my abilities nor people’s acceptance but God’s message and His will that matter.
PRAYER: LORD, I pray that I will always say and do that which pleases Thee only.