Listening to God

Exodus 6:1-9

“1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: indeed, by a mighty hand he will let them go; by a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land.” 2 God also spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘The Lord’ I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens. 5 I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the Israelites: I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.” 9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.”

Moses delivered God’s message of deliverance to The Pharaoh, but he would not listen because he was too lofty and entitled; he was (in the mind of the Egyptians) a god.

Moses delivered God’s message of deliverance to the Israelite slaves, but they did not listen, or could not listen, or did not believe the message due to the nature of their circumstances: their broken spirits and their cruel enslavement.

As Christians, God speaks to us every day through the Holy Spirit.  In order to hear His voice we must intentionally listen.  Sometimes our circumstances prevent us from doing this.  Sometimes we have broken spirits.  Sometimes we have confusing or cruel circumstances in our lives that cause us to suffer.

But, even if we refuse to hear or are unable to hear, God is still present and acting, and moving in this world…

Always.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)