28 Days of Hope – Day 9
God brings hope in the worst situations. Moses was called by God to deliver the Israelites from slavery. God had a plan to set His people free. Moses had the right motivation and intentions but made a terrible decision. He saw the injustice and oppression of slavery and took matters into his own hands as he murdered an Egyptian man. As a result, Pharaoh wanted to kill him, so Moses ran for his life and fled to Midian. God wanted Moses to trust Him, but Moses was stubborn and decided to handle the situation his way. Moses struggled with anger management, and his temper got the best of him on several occasions. The life of Moses can be summarized by saying he spent the first forty years of His life telling God, “My way,” then the next forty years telling God, “No way,” and the last forty years sincerely wanting to live “God’s Way”. Can you relate?
God heard the groaning and prayers of the Israelites and gave Moses a second chance to bring hope. Moses didn’t want to go back to Egypt and tried to avoid God’s direction. The truth is we will never regret obedience, but we often try to rationalize our rebellion instead of choosing faithfulness. Moses knows he is inadequate by himself. Your God-given purpose will bring a sense of compulsion and at the same time an awareness that the assignment is much bigger than you. God reassured Moses several times with His presence and promises. God gave Moses a staff in his hand that when thrown on the ground became a snake and then when picked up by the tail became a staff again. This was a sign both to Moses and the people that God was with him.
Rediscovering hope includes recalibrating our lives. It would be impossible for Moses to call the shots and be full of hope. God never works that way. Some of us learn the hard way, and don’t change until the consequences are massive. Is independence from God working for you? It might initially feel good to have the illusion of control and dominance. Sin is like a chocolate covered poison. The first taste isn’t bad, but once swallowed, it starts to kill your hope and is destructive for both you and the people near you. God asks, “What is in your hand?” to redirect Moses to a better way. God’s power, God’s wisdom, and God’s hope travel along God’s way. God displays His might through our weaknesses, so that He receives all the glory. You will have the most hope when you are depending on and glorifying God. Shift today from independence to reliance.
Hope Point: God can move powerfully through our weaknesses.
Hope Story: Moses in Exodus 4:1-17
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How is God specifically leading you to rely on Him?
- Do you find yourself getting discouraged and resentful at what is happening daily in the news? If so, listen to how God is directing you in this area.
- Do you respond to the actions of people who don’t know Jesus with bitterness and frustration? If so, does this align with Scripture?
- What are the weaknesses in your walk with God that could use healing and restoration from God?
PRAYER
Gracious God, thank You for empowering me. Your grace is sufficient, and Your hope is transformative. I want to use all of my talents to serve You and bring You glory. Forgive me for being too passive. I move forward with faith in You Jesus. Amen.
28 Days of Hope is a journey together, as we rediscover and recommit to God’s indestructible hope in transformative ways. As you begin this journey, you’ll experience a sense of excitement about what God is going to do.
If you have a desire to grow in your faith, strengthen your relationships, gain wisdom, cultivate new habits, experience more peace, and live daily with purpose and passion, then you are in the right place. Just Choose Hope
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