Daily Devotions
My Thoughts on Inauguration Day
Title: My Thoughts on Inauguration Day
Reading for January 20: Exodus 14-16
The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward."
Exodus 14:15
Over and over in the books of Exodus and Numbers we hear God's people grumbling and complaining. In fact it is specifically said that Israel "grumbled" twelve times in the books of Exodus and Numbers as they came out of Egypt and then wandered in the wilderness. What's interesting about the Hebrew word for "grumbling" is that it can also be translated "to lodge" or "to pass the night" (it's translated that way eight times in the book of Genesis).
Does that not make sense? Isn't that what happens when we grumble and complain? When we grumble we're not going anywhere. We get stuck. We stop moving. We stop making progress toward the goal. And what is the goal? For Israel way back then and for us today the goal is the same... the goal is the promised land.
I received an email yesterday from Robin Bauer, a beloved brother and preacher of the gospel in South Africa. He wrote a short, encouraging message to me and to many other American brethren, with a mind to encourage us knowing the inauguration of a new President happens for us today. I want to share his short but encouraging letter with you here. He wrote simply this:
"My thoughts, prayers, supplications are especially for you all tomorrow. Let come what may, we are resolved to keep marching onward to Zion. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus and His righteousness."
Thank you, brother. I needed to hear that today.
More than that, I needed to hear my God tell me this morning, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward!"
Father, we do not put our trust in princes. Today and every other day we want to keep our eyes on you. Help us not to get stuck in the easy but all too familiar rut we find ourselves. Help us to keep marching forward to Zion!
