Exodus 2:11-12 (Moments of Moses)

Despite pharaoh's best attempt to stop Israel from growing, Moses would survive by the grace of God and three women who God used mightily: his birth mother, adoptive mother, and biological sister. Moses would experience an inner struggle of being raised as an Egyptian, but being a Hebrew by birth. This would give him a divided heart.

Read Exodus 2:11-12

When Moses grew up, he saw the burdens of his people (Hebrews). He had the privilege of seeing their burdens without experiencing any of it. He was spared from the heavy burdens of his people, but compassion ripped out from him toward his people. It highly affected him! He wanted to relieve them of their heavy burdens from the oppressor who was his adoptive grandfather. Moses may have been a Hebrew, but he did not have to experience any of the things his brethren did. Imagine what a heavy burden it would of given him! Moses saw how the Egyptians treated the Hebrews.. Moses knew it was wrong and needed to be stopped, but he sought war~ trying to seek justice through violence by killing this Egyptian men. Why do we not treat our enemies with kindness? Treating them the way they treat us is clearly not working! It did not work for Moses. Moses knew murder was wrong. It does not justify it if someone wronged us or one of those we care for. Doing evil, even in repaying evil, is wrong! If only, we would learn this! At times, we allow ourselves to have childlike compassion, but our temper is anything but self-controlled. We need to love and have compassion, but also self control---controlling our tongue and temper… Seeking to glorify Him in everything!

Based on Mark 8:34-38, my study asks the question: Was Moses serving God or man? He was definitely serving man, particular his flesh/sinful self. His sinful self had rage and anger, yet it was uncontrolled. Our sinful self/the flesh wants to do the exact opposite of what God's will for us is. We need to keep seeking the Lord! Asking for His strength, and for Him to show us what to do. God works mightily to accomplish His purposes in our lives, as we yield to Him!

Moses did not handle his temper correctly. He did not manage his emotions. Instead, he let them spill over onto the sand where it would reek of the dead man that Moses killed. I am reminded of how different Moses and Jesus' reactions were to the injustices they saw. Moses saw the injustice and sought to kill the Egyptian man. It would not solve the problem of all the Hebrews being beaten and heavily burdened. In Matthew 21, Jesus is angry with the people. He sees all the injustices being done! Yet, his anger is controlled. He does not hurt the money handlers or those who are turning the temple into a market. Instead, he turns over the table and drives the people out. They both see injustice. It breaks their hearts. But, their reaction is totally different. Also, Ephesians 4:26 points out: "In your anger, do not sin!" God has equipped us with feelings for His reason! This does not mean that we allow our emotions to spill out. We need to be self-controlled! We need to honor God with our emotions.

Honor Him!

Seek Him!
Pray for the injustices we see!
Keep our emotions controlled.

We cannot allow ourselves to go ahead of God in rushing to what God wants to do in our lives. Moses did. He tried to save Israel 40 years too soon! He had not even encountered God yet! We, like many others, have leaps of faith and falls of the flesh. We need to keep denying the flesh, and keep seeking Him! Staying close to Him, His Word, and the Church!!