Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. ”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, September 29, 2019
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: God’s divine plan often comes with twists and turns.
Moses’ story is filled with serendipity—seemingly unrelated events that are woven into an epic story of deliverance and redemption.
People in Egypt: Joseph’s story of how he brought his family to Egypt in the first place is also epic and unexpected. If not for Joseph, none of this would even have taken place.
Pharaoh’s Disdain: It’s easy to see how the pharaohs over 400 years would forget what Joseph had done for Egypt and strive to enslave the Hebrews. Pharaoh’s short memory led to centuries of horrendous conditions for the Hebrews.
Cleverness of the Midwives: Despite Pharaoh’s order to kill the Hebrew babies, two brave midwives disobeyed Pharaoh to obey God. Their deception and bravery made it possible for Moses to be born and to live.
Cleverness of Moses’ Mother: Moses’ mother’s bravery and cleverness also played a critical role. Not only did she hide him for 3 months, but she also placed him in a spot where Egyptian royalty was known to bathe. Maybe she knew his best shot at life was to be loved by an Egyptian with power.
Cleverness of Moses’ Sister: Moses’ sister had the wisdom to keep an eye on the baby to see what would become of him. When Pharaoh’s daughter scooped him up, she immediately offered to bring a Hebrew wet nurse—Moses’ own mother! Clever girl.
Egyptian Royalty: Moses was born a Hebrew and raised an Egyptian. Who better to save the people than Moses? He had a heart for his people and a knowledge of Egyptian politics as well as personal relationship with the house of Pharaoh. He was perfectly positioned to deliver them.
Shepherd: When God contacted Moses, he had fled Egypt for killing an Egyptian taskmaster and was shepherding with his new family. The serenity and solitude of shepherding would have given Moses plenty of time to clear his head, follow his heart, and listen to his God.
Sometimes our own lives can twist and turn, and it can be hard to see any rhyme or reason for the random events that come at us. But often, God has a divine plan that comes together just when we’re least expecting it, and in ways we never could have imagined.
When we remain open to the seeming randomness of our life events, sometimes we get glimpses into the divine plan behind it all.
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