The Task (Ex. 18:13-16)

6/2/2008 10:13 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time           Focus:  The Task

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Exodus 18:13-16

            Message of the verses:  “13 ¶  It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.  14  Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"  15  Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God.  16  "When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.’”

            There is disagreement as to whether or not the law had been given to Israel from God at Mt. Sinai or if Moses was using good sense in judging the people at this time.  In Genesis 26:5 God is telling Isaac that his father Abraham had obeyed all of the commandments from the Lord:  “because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.’”  This verse was certainly given before the law of Moses was given and yet there is mentioned of laws in it so I agree with those who believe that the law had not been given at this time, for if it had been given then there would be little need for Moses to be judging from morning until night.

            In verse thirteen it can be seen that Moses was a very dedicated man, as he went out to judge the people even though he had his father-in-law visiting with him.  I am not sure that this was the best thing for him to do, for he could have spent some more time with Jethro and taken a little vacation from his judging, but he did not do this.  I think that this was surely in the will of God that he do this so that Jethro could then give him such good advice on how to handle this situation, for if he would not have seen it then he would not have gotten this good advice from Jethro.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can see God’s hand in Moses’ life in this section. Moses was doing the will of the Lord as he led the people of God where he was suppose to lead them, and it seems logical to me that because he was doing the will of God that God sent Jethro to him to give him the advice that he would give to him to make his life a bit easier, to share the burden with others.  The book of Ec. speaks of sharing the burden with others:  “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”  The point to me is that I should always try and keep the commands of the Lord, for in doing that I am living a life that is pleasing to the Lord as Moses was doing when he was teaching the people.

            I have always tried to study God’s Word everyday of my life and I believe, because of my faithfulness in doing this that God has given me opportunities to teach the things that I have been learning to others, and that has given great pleasure to me to be able to do that, and my prayer is that as I continue to do this God will continue to give me more opportunities in the future to do more of this.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to yoke up with the Lord Jesus Christ today as seen in Matthew 11:28-30; I want to learn contentment through the trials in my life as Paul writes about in Phil. 4:11; I want to pray as Epaphras does as seen in Col. 4:12; and I desire the Lord to direct my path as Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks of.

Memory verse for the week:                       Col. 4:12

12.    Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

6/2/2008 11:16 AM