Slices
Prepare
Are you delighted when you hear what God is doing in other places and through other people? Does it make your heart sing? Pray today for people you love, that they might know God’s love for them deep in their hearts. Are you delighted when you hear what God is doing in other places and through other people? Does it make your heart sing? Pray today for people you love, that they might know God’s love for them deep in their hearts.
Bible passage
Jethro visits Moses
18 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, ‘I have become a foreigner in a foreign land’; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, ‘My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.’
5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.’
7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.
9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.’ 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
Explore
Word travels, maybe not fast in our terms, but nevertheless Jethro hears what God has done.
Moses sent his family to safety with his father-in-law, but now they’re back. Jethro can only listen (possibly wide-eyed and open-mouthed) as Moses tells him of all the trials they have been through and how God has come through for them (v 8). In the course of his response, Jethro utters three words which hold a wealth of meaning: ‘Now I know…’ (v 11). He feels every bit of what Moses has just said, and he can only reach one conclusion. The Lord is greater than all other gods. This is his moment of recognition of God’s power. And his immediate reaction is one of praise to God (v 10).
Jethro is immediately welcomed into the family of believers. They all eat a meal together, very consciously in God’s presence (v 12). Moses and his father-in-law have mutual respect and a good trusting relationship. We will see further evidence of this tomorrow.
Respond
'Now I know…’ Be quiet and repeat this phrase until it really sinks in to your heart. Change the emphasis on each word in turn, eg ‘Now I know’. Enjoy God’s presence and thank him for the wonder of knowing him in our hearts.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Ruth 3,4; Psalm 45
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Jack Newbould as he supports Faith Guides Robyn and Paul in the heart of the Bannau Brycheiniog (previously known as the Brecon Beacons), reaching families using the GoWild resource. They have been asked to run a GoWild activity in a school which presents challenges.
