Devotion for Tuesday after Trinity, 21 June 2011 Anno Domini

I apologize for being late in posting the devotion for yesterday and today. I have been traveling since yesterday early morning. (Bp Jerry)
Devotions for Tuesday after Trinity, 21 June 2011 Anno Domini
“17But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
30And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. (Acts 7:17-34)
“But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.” In the perfect economy and providence of God, there will always come a time that His promise will draw nigh to fulfillment. It will always be according to that perfect Will of God and not our own. The children of Israel had grown to perhaps two million or more souls in the four hundred years in Egypt. After Joseph had passed from the scene, another king arose who did not know or honor the people on Joseph’s behalf. Joseph was the agent whereby God’s prophecies were, not only fulfilled, but foreshadowing of that better savior which we have in Jesus Christ. The rulers of the world likewise know not the Lord of Glory in our times.
“The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.” As is true with all worldly governments, the Children of God were dealt with in treachery and deceit. They were even compelled to cast off their children. We have already witnessed in our modern day the forced abortion of innocents in their mother’s wombs in China. Do not doubt that the evil which reigns in China cannot rule here in America as well. It already does so in voluntary process. Since Roe v. Wade, more children have been murdered in their mother’s womb (in the home of the brave and the land of the free) than the combined populations of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Solomon Islands, Fiji, and four other notable nations.
“In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months.” Fair in the eyes of his mother (as is every blessed child) and fair in the eyes of His Father in Heaven. “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.” (Heb 11:23) He was born at the moment of deepest despondency for the Children of God. At the moment their sufferings were reaching the highest point, God was preparing His man to lead them out of bondage under the mighty, outstretched arm of the Lord. Though the Pharaoh had ordered all such boys to be murdered at birth, Moses’ mother hid him away three months in defiance of that government which had grown even wicked. Obedience to the secular powers should never entail disobedience to the higher Law of God, but often the child of God is compelled to disobedience of the secular power in order to remain obedient to the higher Law of God.
“And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.” (Acts 7:21) Being cast off by threat of violence may lead to far greater blessing to the Christian. Noah was not the only one saved from the deluge in an Ark. Moses, too, was placed in the Mighty Nile in a tiny ark of reeds and was thereby drawn from the waters by the ladies in waiting of the Princess of Egypt who took him to be her own son. God places His emissaries of love even among the heathen for the benefit of His purpose and will.
It is truly amazing that God can take a complete castoff and place him in the king’s palace with all the privileges of nobility and refinement. The Scriptures tell us that even the spider stretches forth its hand and takes hold in the king’s palace. (Pro 30:28). “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”
“ And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.” The life of Moses was divided evenly over three distinct periods: the first forty years was spent in the House of Pharaoh, the second forty years was spent in the land of Midian where he witnessed the burning bush at the conclusion of this exile, and the third forty years was spent in leading the Children of Israel across the Wilderness to the Promised Land. But now, after his early life in opulence, Moses is led to visit his brethren – the Children of Israel.
“And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.” The people to whom God sends us to minister do not always have the vision and clear understanding that God has given us. Our patience is often tried to abstain from treating such people with total contempt. This provides Stephen the opportunity to contrast his own spiritual understanding of God with that slowness and incorrigible spirit of the contemporary Israel.
“And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?” How sorrowfully often does the Called man of God experience rejection of the truth from those he seeks to enlighten? “Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?” It is truly tragic that sincere works of love and charity are often taken as evidence of some sinister and hidden motive by those who could benefit most from the counsel of the Lord.
“Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.” Pharaoh was wroth at Moses and would have slain him (Ex 2:25). So God compelled Moses into a place where the political conversations of the palace and the striving of his kindred people would not be heard – only would he hear the voice of the Lord there. When we are strangers to the world, we can more likely be friends of Heaven.
“And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him.” In the due time decreed by God, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses. This was no ‘created’ angel for it demanded reverence and worship of Moses. The bush was aflame but not consumed by the fire! The voice of the Lord spoke unto Moses from out of the bush! “Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. (Acts 7:32-33). When God appears in great power, even His chosen are restrained from beholding so great a glory. Moses trembled as all should do before the God of our Fathers – the same which we worship today. In our form of liturgical worship and Bible readings, we observe a reverent formality before God. Here, God gives example of that which He expects of us in the way of sobriety and reverence in worship. We stand on Holy Ground when we gather to worship!
“I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. All of our sufferings and affliction are known of God. In all of our living, God is unfolding His will, often unknown to us until the reality is made plain. Moses never, in his wildest imaginations, ever intended to return to Egypt. God often calls men to the ministry to dangerous cities such as Nineveh, or to hostile and sinful lands such as Egypt. The decision to go is never the personal choice of the Called Man, but the Provident Will of Him who Calls. God will, at length, always come down to deliver His people. Though the days are waxing more and more evil with each setting of the Sun, God knows our plight and is bidding His time to the moment of greatest salvation and impact for us, His people. Do not grow weary in well-doing. Take heart. Though the pilgrim journey is long, hot, and we are burdened about with every care, the climb to the summit lies just around the next turn of the path. God waits in the place of blessing and safety for His dear ones. He will neither forget nor forsake us. Amen!