Did anybody else notice the change in pace today? In four days we covered several hundred years of storyline, but today when we read 15 chapters we only covered about 40 years, and most of it took place over a few weeks! And now we're beginning to deal with the nation of Israel. We also saw two big themes in our passage today.
Miracles, and providence.
Providence is God's normal working in the universe, but particularly is used to describe those peculiar instances in life. Some call it coincidence or fate. The Bible calls it the hand of God. Moses' very existence is an example of providence.
By all accounts, Moses should have never lived past his toddler stage. Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill any boys they helped a Hebrew woman deliver. Puah and Shiphrah (which will coincidentally be the names of any daughters I ever have!) feared God over Pharaoh and did not kill the boys. God providentially saved Moses' life through the bravery of these two women.
Following this failed attempt to limit the Hebrew population, Pharaoh next ordered that all Hebrew boys that are born be thrown into the Nile River. Moses mother hid him in a basket in the amongst the reeds. Eventually, Moses is found by Pharaoh's daughter. The Hebrew boy who should have been thrown into the Nile to die by Pharaoh's order was now fished out of the Nile to be rescued by Pharaoh's daughter. Not only was he saved, but Moses' mother ends up nursing him and getting paid for it by Pharoah's daughter! This man should have never seen his first birthday, and instead, he lives to be 120 years old and one of the greatest prophets ever to live.
Providence!
Another way God works in the universe is more noticeable and less frequent. Miracles are a temporary overriding or suspension of the natural/normal laws of the universe. When Jesus changed the water to wine, when He walked on water, when Balaam's donkey spoke, when the widow's oil jar kept flowing - these are all miracles. Occassionally God decides to intervene into history in very direct, very noticeable ways.
In our story today, there are several miracles. The burning bush in chapter 3 is one example. God needed to get Moses' attention. I don't know about you, but if I saw a bush on fire that wasn't being burnt up in the blaze, I'd pay attention. I love how understated the Bible is sometimes- "So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."" Strange sight?! It's plain bizarre, Mo! God decided to suspend the normal working of the universe for just a bit to get your attention!
The various plagues are another example. All throughout the story, Pharaoh's magicians are able to copy-cat/counterfeit the signs Moses and Aaron are giving, as well as the plagues. However, when the gnat thing goes down, they can't duplicate it. The proclaim it the finger of God, and from then on they listen to what Moses and Aaron have to say, even when Pharaoh won't.
The parting of the Red Sea is another obvious example. Believe it or not, some have tried to discount this miracle story saying that the strong east wind that came pushed the sea back from it's shoreline some, allowing the Israelites to walk in the shallows. Two problems with this little theory - first, how could this be mistaken when the text says that there was a wall of water on either side of them. Second, what exactly did the entire army of Pharaoh drown in if it were the shallows? This was a genuine miracle that God used to not only demonstrate His power, but to deliver His people.
It's easy to point at these miracles a know that God was at work, maybe even to hope and pray for such a miracle in our own lives. While there may be nothing wrong with this, we need to remember God's providence as well. It is God's providence which sustains us everyday. It is His providence that keeps our car on the road on the way to work each day. His providence keeps us healthy enough to go to work, earn money, and buy food. His providence keeps the very atoms in every part of the universe from flying apart!
Sometimes we long for miracles, and we may miss the equally important, if more subtle, hand of God in our lives in the little things. We talked yesterday about God being in charge of even the bad things in our lives. Today, let's remember that God is at work in the little things as well, brining about a good result in our lives. Let's thank God for the little things, and even the things we can't see Him accomplishing all around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment