Scripture reading for January 24: Exodus 16-18
For some reason, although I felt inadequate, I’ve been placed in leadership positions all my life! As I’ve worked leading in various secular and church positions, I’ve become acutely aware of my inability to please everyone. Moses soon learned this same truth! There are as many opinions as there are people under your leadership and Moses had over a million “followers”!
God had used Moses through a mighty act of power to deliver His people from Pharaoh’s pursuing army! Led by Miriam, Moses’ sister, they danced in joy and sang a song of deliverance! A few days after the victory celebration, the Israelites faced hunger and thirst and began to grumble. They blamed Moses for his poor leadership and for bringing them out into the desert to die. (Exodus 16:3) A little farther into the walk, they ran out of water, again quarreling with Moses and blaming God. In spite of this, God came to Moses’ rescue!
Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came for a visit to bring back Moses’ wife and two sons. Jethro was thrilled to hear the stories of God’s deliverance through his son-in-law. He observed Moses sitting in judgment with all the people coming to him with their complaints. His advice to Moses was to raise up some helpers to share the load of leadership. Moses handled the ‘hard’ cases and let others do the rest!
Listen to your leadership and support them by prayer and encouragement! Please don’t grumble! Don’t test or blame God; He is never at fault! If you are a leader, raise up those who can help you with the work. Sharing the load makes sense and enables others with giftings to share in the blessing and be a part of the solution! Leadership is a joy when you and your followers cooperate with God’s plan.
Have you ever grumbled about the leaders God placed in your life? How might you pray to help your heart stay right with leaders and God? How have you shared the load with others?
Exodus 18:21-23 “Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but an small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.”
Scripture reading for February 6th: Exodus 16-18, Ephesians 4
Key Scriptures: Exodus 18:21-23 “Moreover, look for a few men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Jethro was Moses’ father-in-law. He came to visit Moses and noticed that Moses was overworked and burdened down with all the disputes among the people. Jethro gave Moses some fatherly advice: Share the load! Moses should carefully chose others who were godly and capable of leadership. These should be appointed over groupings of people in orderly fashion. They would handle the small concerns and bring the bigger to Moses. All would be blessed and Moses could survive!
Faith Confession and Prayer: I am thankful for many gift people in the Body of Christ. These gifts spread the responsibility and blessing of leadership. Lord, help me to recognize my need for the help of others You have given to bless the Church.
Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, . . .”