Exodus 23:20-22 - “See, I am sending an angel ahead of
you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay
attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he
will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. If you
listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to
your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.
God had finished giving Moses the details of how to carry
out his law. His final directions included staying away from false witnesses….not
showing partially just because someone was poor…treating strangers with respect
and love…and resting and giving thanks
on the 7th day…even letting a field rest the 7th year as
well.
Then God promised to send an angel before them as they
traveled. This angel would prepare the
way before them as they traveled toward Canaan. They would have many enemies…for
God was giving them land that pagans had established large cities. God wanted them to know that the task of
taking over the land would be his…all they had to do was obey him and keep the
laws he had just given Moses.
God did us one even better than this…he gave us the Holy Spirit.
He lives within us and can guide us in all that we do. We just have to acknowledge that the spirit
is a part of us…and call on it to help us when we need it. Its power is
unlimited. Its love is as deep as Christ’s…for
they are one.
There is a catch to using this wonderful gift. It requires unquestioning obedience and
acceptance. There is forgiveness of our sin now that Christ became our
salvation…but we miss entirely too many blessings because of our
disobedience. Sometimes I am guilty of
missing the message entirely…too distracted by some selfish project or task to
stop and even listen.
I needed the reminder to listen carefully to the still small
voice that God placed inside of me to help me know his will…and spend more of
my time in praise and worship of the God who gave me life. I sure need…and want others to have the list
of blessings that Moses recorded in verses 25 and 26. They say… “Worship the Lord your
God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take
away sickness from among you, and none will
miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.”
Father…thank you for the reminder that you require of me
unquestioning obedience and acceptance of all that you ask me to do. Forgive me for the times that I let
selfishness cut my time with you short…or I let life distract me from the tasks
you have given me to do. Help me to
focus so intently on your voice that I hear all that you ask me to do….and
learn to be obedient…even unto death if needed. Amen.
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