That’s the abridged version. What Moses actually said to God in Exodus 5:22-23 is:
“O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me?
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name,
he has brought trouble upon this people,
and you have not rescued your people at all.”
Moses obediently delivered the message to Pharaoh to let the people go, but instead of obliging, Pharaoh made life even more difficult for the Israelites. Now they would have to find their own straw and keep the same quota. He accused them of being lazy and the Israelites blamed Moses for their difficult circumstances.
Moses then does what we should all do when life is hard and life is not fair: he goes to God.
I think Moses thought getting the people out of Egypt would be a lot easier, a lot less painful, and come a lot more quickly. Are you and I looking to serve God only when it’s easy — and everything goes according to plan? Do we assume that wrinkles and problems mean we are out of God’s will or we have missed His directions?
Could God actually have a purpose for these challenges? Could He have a great purpose for the challenges you are facing?
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
God will redeem even the trials – perhaps especially the trials – in our lives and use them to grow us and mature us. Let’s not waste the suffering but expect God to work in it.
I believe one of the reasons God allows difficult circumstances is so that we will acknowledge our great need for Him. Do you find yourself praying more when life is difficult than when life is seemingly good?
Moses finds himself in a dilemma. As a leader, he has an important task and he has hit a wall with fulfilling that task. He is frustrated. In his crisis of faith, he goes to God. He gets honest with God.
For some of us, Moses’ words in verses 22-23 seem almost disrespectful or irreverent. Have you ever been so completely honest with God – cried, whined, or wailed: “Hello, God– a little help please. I thought I was doing what you wanted down here, but it’s not working out so well. Where are you?”
I believe God welcomes the honest prayers of His child much more than the pious, syrupy, platitudes we offer when we string together phrases that are empty and meaningless.
Are you in the midst of a challenge that brings great pain…even confusion…and has you wondering, “God …where are you?”
The woman of God can be honest with God.
And why not? He knows it all anyway!
As we come to our great God with the hard things in our lives, we acknowledge Him as the great I AM. We acknowledge the circumstances are too much and the situation too great. We acknowledge our neediness and our dependence upon Him. And that is precisely where a leader needs to be — where a woman of God needs to be – wholly and completely dependent upon El Shaddai – God Almighty.
Exodus Audio Teaching Lectures:
Lesson 1: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-1-and-2-laura-macfarlan-9-11-14/
Lesson 2: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-lesson-2-laura-macfarlan-9-18-14/
Lesson 3: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-lesson-3-laura-macfarlan-9-25-14/
Lesson 4: http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-lesson-4-laura-macfarlan-10-2-14/
