Jesus, use Moses times of commitment and times when he struggled with it to help me grow in commitment. Help me learn from this historical event from the time he was a Hebrew child that was adopted by Pharoah’s daughter to the end of his life. Help me see how it was Your influence causing Pharoah’s daughter to find him in a basket floating in the Nile river.

Jesus, help me understand the importance of Moses being raised by his mother for awhile; then show me how he resisted his training in Egyptian culture, religions, and skills. Take me on a journey through Moses’ life and help me learn how to resist my body, the world, and the devil through being committed to the things of God.

Exo 2:11-15 (NIV) One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.” When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.

Jesus, show me how easy it would have been for Moses to blend in with the Egyptians. He had a lot of advantages that could have won him over. But, even though he was surrounded with all kinds of “benefits,” help me see how he chose to put it all on the line and try to defend his people.

Jesus, help me understand that Jacob’s family had grown into a multitude of people over a four hundred year period. The Egyptians had become afraid of them and made them slaves. Help me see Moses’ commitment to his people when he wanted to try to do something to make their lives better; but, his attempt only got him in trouble. But, show me how Your will was fulfilled by him having to leave all those things he had and go live with strangers.

Exo 2:16-21 (NIV) Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

Exo 2:18 (NIV) When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?” They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.” “And where is he?” he asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.” Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

Jesus, help me identify with Moses as he looked at his current situation and decided that his commitment to his people was over. Like Moses there are times when I feel like I have lost all advantages and opportunites. So, I don’t know what else I can do. Help me see that he joined a new family and gave up all hopes of setting his people free from slavery.

Jesus, show me that like Moses God has other plans for me. Just like God saw what Moses tried to do, He sees my desires to do right. He saw the sacrifice Moses made and He sees mine. He saw what kind of potential Moses had burried way down in his heart. And, He sees my potential burried way down in my heart.

Exo 2:23-24 (NIV) During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

Jesus, teach me that just like God worked on a special plan with Jacob and Esther, God had a plan for Moses; and, God has a plan for me. Remind me how God worked in Esther’s case: God’s people were going to be killed by Haman, God knew it was going to happen, and God put Esther and Mordecai in places where they could be used by Him to save them.

Jesus, remind me how God worked in Jacob’s case: He needed twelve sons to give birth to twelve tribes. Help me see how those twelve tribes of Jacob grew into a nation according to God’s plan. Now show me how God wanted to move them out of Egypt so they could go to their own land. That was where Moses came in. Help me see that, that is the way you want to include me.

Exo 3:1-3 (NIV) Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up.” Jesus, let this help me see how things are working in my life. Show me that my little “random” decisions are events where I could flow closer and closer to God’s plan for my life.

Exo 3:4-6 (NIV) When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Jesus, even though my encounter with God probably won’t be as dramatic as Moses’ was, it will be just as important. Help me see that when my encounter God isn’t a burning bush, it is a little more difficult for me to respect it. But teach me that this was the last time Moses was going to see a burning bush like this. He will see a lot of incredible miracles; but, just one burning bush.

Jesus, teach me that it is vital for me to not expect God to work in my life like He did at some other time. Teach me that it is also important for me to not expect Him to use techniques He used with others. But, help me be looking for my special encounters with God. Help me realize they are coming!

Exo 3:7-10 (NIV) The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey--the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Jesus, help me understand that all those things God was saying were very exciting to Moses until that last part: “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Jesus, I may want to see God use me to do “some things.” But, I may not have anticipated that it would be that big of a deal. Help me see that Moses wanted to do something for those suffering people. But, this plan was a lot bigger than he had imagined. Teach me that the thing that is confusing is that I and Moses are dealing with God, a supernatural being. His plans are supernatural; but, He will be the One working the miracles. Show me that I will just be the transport for getting God’s power to the right place.