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TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” Exodus 5:9

Read: Exodus 5:1-9
Listen: Exodus 5

TODAY’S MESSAGE

The Israelites live in Egypt for hundreds of years. A pharaoh enslaves them, and they suffer generations of harsh labor. God hears their cry and meets with Moses, who fled Egypt decades ago and lives in the wilderness (Exodus 2:11-22). God declares he’s setting his people free and sends Moses to Pharaoh. God’s bringing them into the land he promised their ancestors (Exodus 3). First, they have to escape Pharaoh. Moses and his brother Aaron meet Pharaoh and deliver God’s message. Things don’t work out like they expect. Rather than granting freedom, Pharaoh makes their lives harder. It looks like a double failure. Not only does Pharaoh increase their work, but the people blame Moses for their trouble (Exodus 5:20-21). This isn’t what Moses expects.

It can be easy for us to believe the lie that life will go well if we follow God. We may realize we hold this expectation only once something falls apart. Yet we can faithfully follow God and still lose our job. We obey God’s call to lead a small group, and people aren’t as committed as we’d hoped. We can serve God wholeheartedly, and our spouse still chooses to leave. This doesn’t mean we haven’t prayed enough or disobeyed God. We shouldn’t be surprised when things don’t go well as we follow Jesus. However, we can expect God’s help and presence to endure our breaking point well.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Look back at how you have been disappointed in God because of wrong expectations. Journal what comes to mind. Ask God to help you have proper expectations in the future and reveal any lies you believe that lead to inaccurate expectations. Ask God for help to follow him in every disappointment and heartache.

2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.

September is COMMUNITY. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.