Moses listened
Sept 30, 2017 9:00:15 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Sept 30, 2017 9:00:15 GMT -6
Ex 18:24 "So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said."
Moses was leading the people of Israel. He was teaching them; he was instructing them in the ways of God. He was the one speaking to the people for God. In this story one speaks to Moses for God. During this time (Exodus 18) Moses was executing his role as judge. The Jews were filling up his day constantly with questions and disputes and consuming Moses and his time.
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came to Moses and told him that what he was doing was not good. There were too many people; too many judgments to pass; and Moses was being worn down with over work. Jethro told him to appoint godly men as judges and distribute the work among them. Moses listened to his father-in-law. He spread out the work over several men.
Here we see Moses, one who was a leader, one who was instructing others as to what God's will was for them, and in walks a friend, a relative, with clear redirection for his life. This was the will of God for Moses and it was from the mouth of his father-in-law. It was a simple and obvious thing for Moses to do and God used Jethro to speak to Moses.
There are a few important principles in this story:
No one should carry more than he can carry. One of the signs of good leadership is to call others into the fellowship of carrying out the service. Don’t take it all on yourself! Figure it out.
God has many ways of making known His will to His servants. He will at times speak through Moses to the people, and then through a Jethro to Moses. Has God been speaking an obvious truth to you and have you been listening? Perhaps God is trying to speak to you from an unanticipated person.
If you teach others, your children, for example, you fully expect and hope that they will hear what you say, to count the cost, to ascertain the truth of your words and obey where applicable. Do you do think the same way when the Lord speaks to you through a friend?
And to me, something here is most important. We often pray that God would speak, that He would ‘lead, guide and direct’ …such words are often heard in prayers… Perhaps what we should pray is that we would listen! God is speaking through His Word, through His people, and through various ways to us. The problem is not ‘is God speaking.’ He has promised to speak! The problem is - are we listening? Do we obey?
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Heb 4:7)
He will speak. He may speak directly to you Himself, through the Word of God, by a teacher, through circumstances, by giving you inclinations, preferences, gifts, talents, and more. Ask God to guide you to discern His voice from all the others! Then listen! Then obey! Do not fix in your mind a certain way that God can or will speak. He is God. He can do as He pleases and communicate as He pleases. Don’t limit God to your thinking!
I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The Lord does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. (Psa 135:5-6)
Moses was leading the people of Israel. He was teaching them; he was instructing them in the ways of God. He was the one speaking to the people for God. In this story one speaks to Moses for God. During this time (Exodus 18) Moses was executing his role as judge. The Jews were filling up his day constantly with questions and disputes and consuming Moses and his time.
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came to Moses and told him that what he was doing was not good. There were too many people; too many judgments to pass; and Moses was being worn down with over work. Jethro told him to appoint godly men as judges and distribute the work among them. Moses listened to his father-in-law. He spread out the work over several men.
Here we see Moses, one who was a leader, one who was instructing others as to what God's will was for them, and in walks a friend, a relative, with clear redirection for his life. This was the will of God for Moses and it was from the mouth of his father-in-law. It was a simple and obvious thing for Moses to do and God used Jethro to speak to Moses.
There are a few important principles in this story:
No one should carry more than he can carry. One of the signs of good leadership is to call others into the fellowship of carrying out the service. Don’t take it all on yourself! Figure it out.
God has many ways of making known His will to His servants. He will at times speak through Moses to the people, and then through a Jethro to Moses. Has God been speaking an obvious truth to you and have you been listening? Perhaps God is trying to speak to you from an unanticipated person.
If you teach others, your children, for example, you fully expect and hope that they will hear what you say, to count the cost, to ascertain the truth of your words and obey where applicable. Do you do think the same way when the Lord speaks to you through a friend?
And to me, something here is most important. We often pray that God would speak, that He would ‘lead, guide and direct’ …such words are often heard in prayers… Perhaps what we should pray is that we would listen! God is speaking through His Word, through His people, and through various ways to us. The problem is not ‘is God speaking.’ He has promised to speak! The problem is - are we listening? Do we obey?
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Heb 4:7)
He will speak. He may speak directly to you Himself, through the Word of God, by a teacher, through circumstances, by giving you inclinations, preferences, gifts, talents, and more. Ask God to guide you to discern His voice from all the others! Then listen! Then obey! Do not fix in your mind a certain way that God can or will speak. He is God. He can do as He pleases and communicate as He pleases. Don’t limit God to your thinking!
I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods.
The Lord does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. (Psa 135:5-6)