Exodus – Chapter 18

If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace. Exodus 18:23 – We get a glimpse into the normal day-to-day life of the Israelites within our chapter. Each day Moses would take on the role of judging all the disputes that he could for the around 2 million people that likely made up the nation of Israel at this time. After witnessing this for a day, Moses’ father-in-law gave Moses the advice we see given in verse 21, to select men to help Moses with the judging. If this was truly God’s direction and Moses were to follow this, we see two wonderful outcomes. First, Moses would be able to endure. The journey wasn’t even close to being done at this point and if Moses kept this pace up he’d crumble under exhaustion. Second, the people wouldn’t have their issues simmering all day waiting for Moses, but would have them resolved more quickly, allowing people to return home in peace. What we see is the lesson of allowing others to help in the call God has placed on our life not only allows us to have the energy to keep serving but our reach will be far greater than if we went at it alone. This was not Moses neglecting his work, but being smarter with his work so he could accomplish more of what God had called him to do. Us seeking help with our call isn’t us neglecting the work God has called us to do either. The work of the Lord is far too grand for us to do alone. What then has God called you to accomplish? How might you invite others in to help you accomplish it? How might you come alongside them with their calling? This is the beauty of the church, we serve with one another to keep each other going and to expedite the peace of the Lord reaching more people. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3162

Exodus 18 Daily DEVO Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.” Exodus 18:17-18 – When you do work alone that was meant to be done with others you’ll find yourself empty. Simple example could be moving into a new home. Try moving a couch into a moving truck by yourself…I’ve done it before, wasn’t pretty. When it comes to your pursuit of God and carrying out the mission of the Gospel, that’s a job meant to be done with others. When you go at it solo expect to find yourself running on fumes. Sure you can get some distance on fumes, but you then find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere calling for the help you should have leaned on to begin with. Jethro’s advice is for us too in our walk with God today. Lean on each other. You need people and people need you. The task of the Gospel is too big for you alone and too important to give up on because we’re tired. Today, who can be someone you can lean on to help you? How can you help them back? I’ll be praying for you so you can count on me being there, hopefully you’ll have my back to by praying for me as well. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 812

Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. Exodus 18:19-21 – If you didn’t read the whole chapter, what’s going on is Moses’ father-in-law comes to visit, sees how Moses has taken the leader role here of this vast people, and how Moses has even taken on the task to sit all day everyday as their judge helping them with disputes. Notice the father-in-law never told Moses to stop serving as God had led him to do, just to change the way he was doing it. While it may seem crazy, even heretical at times, there are multiple ways we can complete the missions and tasks God has given us. Many forms of music work for worship to God. We can hold church in a historic chapel, a home, or even a bar and God is honored in each place if we put Him first there. We don’t even have to meet on Sunday, Tuesday works just fine. Let’s be willing to look at the ways we worship, serve, and even do church to see if there is better ways to do it. Never should we stop completing the mission God has set in front of us, but if changing the method means more people come to know Him we should change. In fact, I believe if we see in front of us a way we could change our methods to reach more people with the gospel yet we choose not to take it, we’re living in sin. Remember the reason we have breath today is share the love of Jesus with others. If we use that breath for anything else, we’ve misused the gift. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1901