Lenten devotions: Exodus 1 (please read the chapter before reading this devotion)
Today we are entering the time of Lent. There are many things that can be said about this, so I decided to do something ir-regular. The time of Lent is 40 days, so I thought why won’t we go through a book of the Bible that has 40 chapters, taking one chapter a day as a source of devotional meditation. So, here we are, the first chapter.
The first
chapter of Exodus begins with a great statement concerning Israel, and almost
immediate escalation of tension between the Egyptian rulers and the sons of
Jacob. God blessed people of Israel abundantly: Israel were fruitful and
increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the
land was filled with them (Exodus 1:6-7). As a response pharaoh at first
came up with a tough plan, attempting to suppress them, but it didn’t help – “the
more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied” (Exodus 1:12). Then pharaoh
came up with a wicked plan – murdering the newly born baby boys (Exodus 1:15-16).
Sad times…
When we go
into the period of “wilderness” in our lives – being it a literal wilderness
experience or pressures of loss, betrayal, or grief, the first and foremost
concern is a preservation of live. In the wilderness one needs to stay hydrated,
fed with some food, being protected from scorching sun or pouring rain etc. It
is the time of test for life itself.
In the story
of Israel in Egypt God provided godly midwives who protected the lives of the
boys even under a threat of death (it is not states explicitly, but we can only
imagine what would this pharaoh do for the disobedience, knowing that he was
ready to murder the most vulnerable – newborn babies). It looks like the sons
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob couldn’t protect themselves, they needed an
outside intervention.
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