An Incomplete Picture, Week 4 Day 2, Exodus 6 and 7

An Incomplete Picture, Week 4 Day 2, Exodus 6 and 7

Sometimes I find when I’m reading the Scriptures they really inform me about my life of faith.  Sometimes what is happening in my life really make something in Scripture come alive.  Sometimes I miss the train and don’t make any connections.  Today is one of those days.

I’ll hope you’ll forgive me for perhaps being a bit more personal in today’s writing.  This is just what’s going around in my heart and head.

So I’m reading about God sending Moses to the Israelites.  I’m reading about God giving Moses instructions on meeting with Pharaoh.  And then we get into the magic lessons.

And then this morning I went to the funeral for a former boss.  I’ll be frank and honest for the sake of discussion so I’ll hope you’ll forgive the harsh honesty.  The man was a difficult man to work for.  His directions were not clear.  He frequently asked you for something only to completely change his mind when you delivered on his request.  He would speak poorly of other employees to you and there was little sign that he had respect for anyone except himself.  Again, my apologies for my frankness.

Out of respect to the man, for my coworkers and for his family, I went to his funeral today.  Apparently they knew a completely different person than the man I knew.  He was a loving grandfather who took them to Europe, special dinners at favorite restaurants, and encouraged a grandchild to travel and try new things.  He and his wife took in a neighborhood friend of his children and made her a part of the family, included her in family trips and vacations, made her feel like a daughter.  He was a brother in law who wooed a sister to become his bride so that they could share a life together with kids and grand kids.  He was a father who encouraged his kids in school and life.

Yeah apparently I did not completely know the man.  And his family probably didn’t completely know him either.  And I certainly feel no need to and have no desire to let them know how I viewed the man.

Not sure I can tie this into today’s Bible passages except for this. 

I wonder what kind of father Pharaoh was?  Wouldn’t expect him to measure up to today’s standards of fatherhood, but wonder how he measured up against the standard of his day.  How did he measure up as a husband against the husbanding standards of his day?   Apart of his dealings with Moses and the Israelites, I wonder what kind of ruler he was?  Good?  Bad?  In between? 

Pretty much everything I know about the Pharaoh of Moses’ day could be summed up in two phrases; he enslaved the Israelites and he had a hard heart.  That’s a pretty lousy eulogy.

I’m willing to accept God’s judgment on the man.  God’s really the only one who can.  But perhaps I need to remember that I don’t know enough about anyone one to judge them.  I can’t see every moment of their life.  I can’t see what’s in their heart.  And even if I could it isn’t my job.  I can disagree with what they do.  I can disagree with how they see things.  I can even, based on Scripture and morals say if I think they are doing something wrong.  But only God sees and knows their heart.  Just like only He knows my heart.

So maybe I’d better just follow God, be the kind of person that he wants me to be, and always keep my heart wide open to Him and His Spirit.

God, when I read about Pharaoh I wonder why his heart had to be so hard.  I know that ultimately that’s between You and him.  Lord, as much as my heart is hard, soften it.  Break it if You have to.  Make me always ready to hear Your voice.  Make me always willing to be led by Your Spirit.  And Lord I pray that I will always walk with You, always live with You.  I give thanks for Your Son Jesus Christ who died for my sins, for everyones sins.  And I accept the forgiveness that You offer only through Him.  Let that same Love, Forgiveness and Spirit be what people see coming from You through my heart.  Amen

Leonard