Devotional on Exodus 6
Exodus 6:2-9
God also said to Moses: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I didn’t reveal myself to them by my name ‘The Lord.’ I also set up my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan where they lived as immigrants. I’ve also heard the cry of grief of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians have turned into slaves, and I’ve remembered my covenant. Therefore, say to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I’ll bring you out from Egyptian forced labor. I’ll rescue you from your slavery to them. I’ll set you free with great power and with momentous events of justice. I’ll take you as my people, and I’ll be your God. You will know that I, the Lord, am your God, who has freed you from Egyptian forced labor. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I’ll give it to you as your possession. I am the Lord.’” Moses told this to the Israelites. But they didn’t listen to Moses, because of their complete exhaustion and their hard labor.
On Sunday we talked about the two ways God identifies herself to Moses: I am the God of your ancestors, and I am that I AM. Here as Moses begins his mission, God gives one more way of recognizing God: “I’ll set you free with great acts of justice.” God is the one who is and was and will be. God is also the one who stands on the side of justice, making common cause with people living under oppression. Even when we are too exhausted or heartsore to recognize God at work, God is moving through and among us.
Prayer: God of my ancestors, help me to see you at work. Help me to see places where I can stand with you on the side of justice. And give me courage to stand with the oppressed, just as you gave courage to Moses. Amen.
