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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 2, Thursday


Read: Exodus 8
 
Reflect: Each new plague is a bit more uncomfortable for Pharaoh, and even his magicians start to believe in the Lord. But as soon as the discomfort passes, Pharaoh reverts to engrained habits of power and control. What are some of your engrained bad habits? Changing habits is extremely hard, but what inspiration can we glean from Pharaoh’s failure to listen even to himself.
 
Write: On your own or in the comments here
 
Recite: John 10:27-28 [Jesus said,] “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”
 
Pray: Redeeming Lord, Speak to me so that I may listen and be lead by your Word to eternal life in Christ. Amen.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 2, Wednesday


Read: Exodus 7:8-24


Reflect: When are we seeing true signs of God’s power, and when are we seeing trickery? Pharaoh has what he wants (slaves and power), so he will look to whatever strengthens his position. His heart remains hardened, and he won’t listen to Moses and Aaron. Have you ever spoken truth to someone, only to have them harden their heart to continue in a lie? Did you turn to God for help and guidance, as Moses and Aaron do?

 
Write: On your own or in the comments here
 

Recite: John 10:27-28 [Jesus said,] “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”
 

Pray: Redeeming Lord, Speak to me so that I may listen and be lead by your Word to eternal life in Christ. Amen.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 2, Tuesday


Read: Exodus 5:22-6:9

 

Reflect: God’s ways are not our ways. The Israelites want to be set free, but God’s purpose is much greater than relief from bondage. The Israelites “would not listen…because of their broken spirit.” When we’re at our lowest, it’s hard to hear the words of comfort and hope others say. Has there been a time of broken spirit for you or someone you know? How did you or this other person learn to listen again to words of hope?

 

Write: On your own or in the comments here


Recite: John 10:27-28 [Jesus said,] “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”


Pray: Redeeming Lord, Speak to me so that I may listen and be lead by your Word to eternal life in Christ. Amen.

 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 2, Monday

Week 2 Introduction: Listen.
This week, our study will focus on listening. God listens to us as He listened to the cries of the Israelites. But we do not always listen to God. Sometimes our hearts are hardened like Pharoah’s, and sometimes we take up God’s word like Moses and Aaron did.  
 
Read: Exodus 2:23-25; Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 116:1-7
 
Reflect: God’s covenant with Abram resonates now as his descendants are being cursed by Egypt. God hears the cries of his covenant people and remembers his promise to Abraham to curse those who curse Abraham. God listens to His people, and big things are about to happen. Think of a time when God heard your cries. How did He answer?
 
Write: On your own or in the comments here 
 
Recite: John 10:27-28   [Jesus said,] “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”
 
Pray: Redeeming Lord, Speak to me so that I may listen and be lead by your Word to eternal life in Christ. Amen. 
 


Saturday, February 23, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, In Christian Community

Just a reminder that even though the week's reading is finished, your study isn't! Remember that getting together in Christian community to discuss what you've read helps make the whole experience of the Word so much richer.

So find a friend--doesn't matter if they read the study or not!--and discuss fear, how God can use it in our lives and how it can stand between us and God, blocking our faith journey.

Blessings to all of you as you study His Word.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, Friday


Read: Exodus 5
 
Reflect: Moses’ first attempts to persuade Pharoah to let his people go end in failure, and in Chapter 5 we see how scary it is just to get started. The people fear that Moses will make things worse. They’re right. It’s going to take a whole lot more suffering for everyone before God’s people will finally march out of Egypt. Have you ever lived in a difficult situation, tolerating the difficulty because you were afraid it could only get worse? What finally spurred you to change?
 
Write: (on your own or in the comments here)

Recite the Week's Verse: Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Pray: Gracious Lord, Help me grow in courage and faith so that my fear does not stop me from doing what is right in your eyes. Amen.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, Thursday


Read: Exodus 4:1-17; Jeremiah 1:6; Romans 8:28
 
Reflect: God calls Moses, and Moses is afraid. Who wouldn’t be? It’s so human to worry when God pushes us out of our comfort zone! As Paul writes, when we’re called to God’s purpose, all things will work together for good, but the path forward can be scary or just hard. Very few people are called to do a job as big as Moses’ job, but even small jobs for God can overwhelm and frighten us. Is God calling you in some way? What excuses are you coming up with? How can you overcome your fear and take that next step in your personal faith journey?
 
Write: (on your own or in the comments here)

Recite the Week's Verse: Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Pray: Gracious Lord, Help me grow in courage and faith so that my fear does not stop me from doing what is right in your eyes. Amen.


 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, Wednesday


Read: Exodus 2:16-22

Reflect: When Moses sees the bullies run off the women from the well, he intervenes, just as he intervened when the Egyptian beat the slave and when one slave wronged another. Bullies are everywhere…in our schools, workplaces, homes, and even churches. Have you ever been bullied? Were you afraid? Did you stand up to the bully, or did someone else stand up for you? How can you stand up for those who are being bullied today, who just want their turn at the well?
 
Write: (on your own or in the comments here)

Recite the Week's Verse: Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Pray: Gracious Lord, Help me grow in courage and faith so that my fear does not stop me from doing what is right in your eyes. Amen.
 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, Tuesday

Read: Exodus 2:11-15; Acts 7:23-29

Reflect: Despite being raised as an Egyptian, Moses identifies with the Israelites. The Israelites, however, do not identify with him or trust him. He doesn’t seem to belong to either group, and when he realizes this, he is afraid. Have you ever felt alone and isolated in a crowd, misunderstood and scorned, or even invisible and ignored? How did you react? What did you learn from the experience? How did it change you?

Write: (on your own or in the comments here)

Recite the Week's Verse: Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Pray: Gracious Lord, Help me grow in courage and faith so that my fear does not stop me from doing what is right in your eyes. Amen.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Exodus for Lent: Week 1, Monday


Read: Exodus 1:15-22; Proverbs 11:17-18; Isaiah 3:10-11

Reflect: We are right to fear God. Shiphrah and Puah fear God more than they fear Pharoah, and God rewards them. Throughout scripture, God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. Think of a time in your life when you did the right thing—perhaps when it was scary or difficult. Have you seen God at work in your life as a result? How were you rewarded? Was the reward tangible or spiritual or both?

Write: (on your own or in the comments here)

Recite the Week's Verse: Isaiah 41:13   For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.”
 
Pray: Gracious Lord, Help me grow in courage and faith so that my fear does not stop me from doing what is right in your eyes. Amen. 

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Invitation to Lenten Devotional

Transforming Common Days is going devotional for Lent!

First United Methodist Church of Springboro is journeying through the book of Exodus for Lent this year, and I am writing week-day devotionals to fill in the story between the readings for Saturday and Sunday services. The devotionals start tomorrow (Monday, February 18, 2013) and will run five days a week through Lent. Here's the cover to the first week's pamphlet.


Journey through the Bible:
Exodus for Lent


First United Methodist Church of Springboro invites you to study the book of Exodus for Lent. This daily bible study will help you journey along with Moses and Aaron and God’s chosen people to the Promised Land.

Read, reflect, and write notes as the story of Exodus unfolds. See how events more than three thousand years ago can guide your own journey with God in our world today.

Recite and pray the week’s verse and prayer.

Journey with a friend. Everything is more fun with a friend, and bible study is no exception. Commit to spend a little time each week with a friend or family member to share and discuss your thoughts on the week’s readings.
 
Week 1: Fear. This week, our study will focus on fear. Sometimes, we are right to fear, as when we fear God, but mostly, our fear gets in the way of our journey with God. Faith overcomes fear in powerful ways. As you read and reflect on fear this week, remember that the Bible tells us over and over not to be afraid but trust in God.

 
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This devotional is designed to encourage Christians at all places in their faith journey. Beginners who might feel a little (or a LOT) intimidated by the Bible will focus on how the story of Moses and the Promised Land relates to them in their lives today. Experienced Bible study students who would like to be reminded of their deeply intimate connection to scripture will be able to get back to basics and focus on relating personally rather than intellectually to their Bibles.  

What does Exodus have to do with Lent? Exodus tells the story of Moses leading God's people out of slavery in Egypt into the Promised Land. This journey is difficult and long, full of twists and turns, challenges and set-backs. It is, in many ways, representative of each Christian's journey out of bondage to sin and into the freedom and promise found at the foot of the cross: salvation through Jesus Christ.

Each weekday, I will post the devotional, which will consist of a short Bible reading and reflection, some questions to think about, and a verse and prayer to recite. I invite you to either write your thoughts on paper (if you want to keep them private) or to share them in the comments on this blog (if you want to share them with the world!).

If you choose to share, please keep in mind that this devotional is intended to be personal and sincere. Comments that are kind, thoughtful, and respectful of other opinions are very welcome.

I hope you will take this journey with our church!