Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
May 25, 2022
Read Exodus 17:10-16
10 So Joshua did as Moses told him. He fought with Amalek while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel would start winning the battle. Whenever Moses lowered his hand, Amalek would start winning. 12 But Moses’ hands grew tired. So they took a stone and put it under Moses so he could sit down on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side of him so that his hands remained steady until sunset. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
Good Morning, Be Still and Know! God is with us.
I don’t remember ever looking at this passage in isolation. Before these verses, the Israelites grumble about being thirsty and ask why Moses led them into the desert. The Lord instructs Moses to strike the rock and water flows forth. In the section lifted up this morning, the Amalekites have come and attacked the Israelites. Perhaps God decides that the people need to understand that they are under God’s protection and only God can save them.
It is easy to laugh at the scene depicted here and think that we would never test our God in such an obvious way. However, as a people of God, we do doubt, grumble, complain, and even test God on a regular basis. Whenever we as a people encounter trouble, there are the doubters ready to ask, “Where is your God?” or “Why doesn’t God fix this?” or “Why does God let such awful things happen?”
God is love! God gave us, his children, free will so that we might live life. We are not programmed like robots! Just like teenagers who have fought for their freedom, we want to be in charge until we are in the midst of trouble. Then we run back to our creator and say fix this. God does not cause the catastrophes that haunt us, but God is there to help us pick up the pieces and to make something beautiful arise from the ruins. God is love as evidenced by sending his only son to die for us so that we might have eternal life. Amen.
Loving and Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. O Lord, You bless us and we want more. You protect us and we inch a bit further away. Thank you for always being with us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: It’s okay to ask for God’s help.
Give thanks with a Grateful Heart! Pastor Liz
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