Daily Manna 25 January
KEY VERSE: “For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.” – (Exodus 5:23)
TEXT: Exodus 5:15-23
15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? 16 There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.”
17 But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”
20 Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. 21 And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made [a]us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” 22 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”
Challenges of life often breed severe pain and discomfort. As a result, we tend to desire a quick fix from the Lord, that He would waste no time in giving us a solution. But God does not work by man’s timetable; nor does He always answer when we desire it most.
Moses did not quite understand this in the early part of his ministry. In obedience to God, he had gone to Pharaoh to demand that he should let Israel go and worship the Lord. Instead of granting their request, Pharaoh strengthened the severity of the people’s working conditions.
Whereas in the past he provided straw with which they made bricks, now they were to source for their own straw, even as he refused to reduce the quantity of bricks they were to produce daily. He felt the Israelites had a lot of idle time, hence their agitation for freedom to go and serve God.
Seeing that their hard labour had now been made harsher, the Israelites bitterly blamed Moses and Aaron for their worsening condition of work. Moses himself complained to God about Pharaoh’s unkind response. He wondered why he was sent on this mission, adding that speaking to Pharaoh had done more evil to the Israelites.
God does not always answer our prayers when and how we expect it. The fact that the hardship and suffering we are experiencing have persisted does not mean that He is not at work on our behalf. Such tough experiences are often meant to increase our faith and enable us to trust God to do the best for us. He will not abandon His children.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Quick solutions are not always the best remedy.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 24-25
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 25 January 2022
