Fri.’s Devo - God Orders Our Steps

Read: Exodus 2:11-3:22; Matthew 17:10-27; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 5:7-14
Moses was a little impulsive which almost cost him his life. He was feeling his destiny which was to deliver his people from the Egyptian bondage but the temptation is always to step out before we are ready. Moses was not ready.
He ran for his life and ended up by a well where he met Zipporah, the Midianite and married her. (Jacob and Isaac both found their wife by a well.) Moses and Zipporah had a son they named Gershom which means “a stranger there”. This was not where Moses was suppose to make his home. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham’s fourth son, Midian. Moses became a shepherd with Jethro, his father-in-law.
After a long time, back in Egypt, the Pharaoh died and the children of Israel cried out because of their oppression. God heard them and visited Moses to tell him it was time to go and deliver his people. The burning bush is a wonder because there were many brush fires in the desert but they were short and consuming. This bush refused to be consumed, arousing Moses’ curiosity. God spoke out of that bush and he and Moses had a conversation. This is what prayer is suppose to be - a conversation. God speaks, we ask questions, he answers them.
God gave Moses instructions and even told him what was going to happen and prepared him for what he was going to face. He answered every question Moses had. He even told him to plunder the Egyptians when he left.
In Matthew, Jesus explained that the spirit of Elijah comes when God is going to restore all things. The spirit of Elijah comes to challenge the worldly system and set a standard of righteousness. Elijah faced the prophets of Baal and the king Ahab. He was not intimidated with the world’s system.
John the Baptist challenged the king’s immoral relationship with his brother’s wife. He also challenged the Pharisee’s and the Sadducee’s false doctrine. Before Jesus comes back, God will send a person who will come and do the same thing (Malachi 4:5).
Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be treated just like John the Baptist. He would be betrayed, killed, and rise on the third day. He was at the end of his time with his disciples which was why he got exasperated with them when their couldn’t heal the man with seizures. They had been with him for three years and still had no faith to believe God would heal.
Then there was the talk about the tribute tax. This was a civil voluntary tax that the government expected everyone to pay. Jesus explained to Peter that God’s kingdom did not work this way. But, since they were in the world, they would pay it so as not to offend them. The world doesn’t understand God’s grace or his lavish love. Sometimes we need to go the extra mile to keep the world from tripping over our freedom.
Our Psalm was the one that Jesus was referring his disciples to on the cross when he said, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me.” He wanted them to remember it and see that this day was prophesied so they would have peace.
Lord, help us to remember that our days have been prophesied by you before we came. You have ordered our steps. May we walk in them.