Prayer for Thursday: Gracious God, it’s time. It’s time to make the hard decisions. Sometimes I’m scared, sometimes I’m confused, and sometimes I just don’t want to believe I have to make a decision. Grant that I will know You direct my steps. Help me to trust You. Holy Lord, I believe, but help me in my moments of unbelief. Give me strength and wisdom so that whatever happens will honor my fellow humans and You. Help my decisions to make me love You with all that I am and love others as I would myself. Thank You for hearing me and answering my prayer. In Christ's name, amen.
Scripture Reflection for Thursday: Today's journey "Through the Bible" visits Exodus 14-16.
In Exodus 14, we see that God’s ways can sometimes seem foolish, but we must remember that the Lord designs them so that He is glorified in our weakness. God finds us in hopeless situations of spiritual death, only to raise us to life by grace alone for His glory alone (Eph. 2:1–10). Christians continue to experience this as they fight sin, Satan, and the world. We must move forward in obedience to God when all means fail us, waiting upon the Creator and Redeemer (2 Chron. 20:1–30; Ps. 27:14; 130:5; Isa. 30:15). What spiritual challenge or crisis are you facing?
In Exodus 15, we are reminded to sing to the Lord! He is the strength and salvation of His people; He must also be our song. Much worship today revolves around our feelings, but biblical worship revolves around who God is and what He does for His people. The song of Moses teaches Christians to praise Him for His works in Christ, for they reveal His glory.
In Exodus 16, we see that indeed the Lord can work miracles. Naturalistic explanations of manna from insects or trees fail to account for how it came with the dew, melted in the sun, quickly decomposed, and sustained a hungry people for forty years. God is teaching us to rely on His power. We exercise such faith by observing the holy Sabbath rest, and by sharing what we have (v. 18; 2 Cor. 8:13–15). How do you need to trust God’s provision right now?
Spiritual Meditation for Thursday:
May the God of hope fill me and all of us with the joy and peace that comes from believing, so that we may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
May God help you to grow in Christ today,
