“My Covenant”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: Indeed, by a mighty hand he will let them go; by a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land.”

God also spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘The LORD’ I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens. I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the Israelites, ‘I am the LORD, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.

Exodus 6:1-9

When we are experiencing deep sorrow or difficult circumstances, we may feel offended if someone suggests that something good can emerge from our adversity. A well-meaning person who tries to encourage us to trust God’s promises may be perceived as insensitive or even unrealistic. That happened to the children of Israel when God was working for their deliverance from Egypt. They became so discouraged, they could not accept Moses’ assurance that God had heard their cries and promised to take them to a land of their own. There are times when our hurts and fears can close our ears to the hopeful words of God. But the Lord does not stop speaking to us when it is hard for us to hear. He continues working on our behalf just as He did in delivering His people from Egypt.

Even when we don’t sense God’s presence, His loving care is all around us.

Our Daily Bread – April 22, 2005