After leading the Israelites into the desert, his father in law came to meet him. Moses and he met in a tent and talked. In Exodus 18:8 we read:
“Moses told his father in law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way … “
This feels and sounds VERY familiar, doesn’t it? Sharing our hardships with people? Yes, that is common and almost expected. We all go through them, and it seemingly like to share them with others. Perhaps it makes us feel better to talk about it, to feel like someone else cares about it, and to simply here that others go through similar struggles.
But for Moses this rest of the verse is as follows …
“… and how the LORD had saved them.”
Now this is profound. Moses shared the hardships. I get that. I do that. But then he also shared how the LORD rescued them from those hardships. Do I share how God rescues me from the hardships? What an opportunity to be a witness for the LORD! All I have to do is add to the litany of struggles is, “And this is what the LORD did to get me out of those hardships …”
When I think about this passage, it is intriguing on a few points:
In many ways this reminds me of Psalm 23:4 … “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me …”
The LORD will walk with us through the hardships and the wonderful times. He will not leave us. He will rescue us. And now all we need to do is share how He did it or us.
“Moses told his father in law about everything the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way … “
This feels and sounds VERY familiar, doesn’t it? Sharing our hardships with people? Yes, that is common and almost expected. We all go through them, and it seemingly like to share them with others. Perhaps it makes us feel better to talk about it, to feel like someone else cares about it, and to simply here that others go through similar struggles.
But for Moses this rest of the verse is as follows …
“… and how the LORD had saved them.”
Now this is profound. Moses shared the hardships. I get that. I do that. But then he also shared how the LORD rescued them from those hardships. Do I share how God rescues me from the hardships? What an opportunity to be a witness for the LORD! All I have to do is add to the litany of struggles is, “And this is what the LORD did to get me out of those hardships …”
When I think about this passage, it is intriguing on a few points:
- We will go through hardships. All of us. Not one is exempt, even if you are His redeemed child.
- He is right there with us. He does not abandon us.
- He will help us through the hardships.
In many ways this reminds me of Psalm 23:4 … “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me …”
The LORD will walk with us through the hardships and the wonderful times. He will not leave us. He will rescue us. And now all we need to do is share how He did it or us.
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