Settling for Midian

Scripture:

Exodus 2:11-16 Time passed. Moses grew up. One day he went and saw his brothers, saw all that hard labor. Then he saw an Egyptian hit a Hebrew--one of his relatives! (12) He looked this way and then that; when he realized there was no one in sight, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. (13) The next day he went out there again. Two Hebrew men were fighting. He spoke to the man who started it: "Why are you hitting your neighbor?" (14) The man shot back: "Who do you think you are, telling us what to do? Are you going to kill me the way you killed that Egyptian?" Then Moses panicked: "Word's gotten out--people know about this." (15) Pharaoh heard about it and tried to kill Moses, but Moses got away to the land of Midian. He sat down by a well. (16) The priest of Midian had seven daughters.

Observation:

As I read this passage, I made several observations. I would like to divide these observations into ten statements:

#1 One day he went and saw how bad his Hebrew brothers and relatives were being treated.

#2 Then he saw an Egyptian hit a Hebrew, one of his relatives

#3 He looked this way and that, and when he realized there was no one in sight, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand

#4 The next day he went out there again, and two Hebrew men were fighting once again

#5 Moses spoke to the man who started it and the man said, "Who do you think you are, telling us what to do? Are you going to kill me the way you killed that Egyptian?

#6 Moses panicked and said to himself, "Word's gotten out--people know about this.

#7 Pharaoh heard about it and tried to kill Moses

#8 Moses got away to the land of Midian (Strife).

#9 He sat down by a well

#10 The priest of Midian had seven daughters.

Application:

How do these statements apply to me? Let's look at each of them.

Moses had been living a life of luxury as Pharaoh's grandson. He had everything monetarily that he could possibly want. Then one day he went out to place where his Hebrew friends and family were working. He then saw how difficult of a time that his relatives were having. Then he saw an Egyptian hit a Hebrews, one of his relatives. When he saw this, something inside of him apparently snapped. In one day he went from a life of luxury to a life on the run. One day changed everything for him. I never know what this day holds for me, but I do know WHO holds the day and walks with me through it. I am reminded that "this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

Moses did something that should be a warning for all of us. He "looked this way and that" and when he didn't think anyone was looking, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. Looking "this way and that" should be a warning sign for me. "Why am I concerned about who sees me do this?" And even if NO PERSON sees me, God sees everything I do, as well as my thoughts and motives of the heart. So, the next time I am tempted to look around to see who is going to see what I am about to do, maybe I should pause and pray and ask God whether I should do it or not.

The next day, Moses went out to the Hebrews again, and two Hebrews were fighting. These Hebrews were an angry, oppressed group. It is easy to allow your circumstances to dictate to you how you will act and treat others. Regardless of the oppression I may be facing, I still need to choose to treat people the way I would like to be treated, and not the way they deserve to be treated.

As Moses saw the two Hebrews fighting, Moses spoke to the one that started the fight and the man said something that slapped Moses in the face, and effected him for the next forty years. The man said, "Who do you think you are, telling us what to do? Are you going to kill me the way you killed that Egyptian?" Those words stayed with Moses because we see him forty years later at the burning bush, arguing with God that the Hebrew people "will not listen to me" and will wonder "why am I telling them what to do." Too often, I find myself hindered by the words spoken over me in anger many, many years ago. It is time, like Moses had to do, to get victory over those harmful, hurtful words. At the burning bush, God spoke words of hope and encouragement into Moses' life, and He wants to do the same thing to me...if I will slow down and listen.

On top of the hurtful words, now Pharaoh heard about Moses killing a man, and now Pharaoh was seeking to kill Moses. So Moses runs for his life, and he ends up in Midian, the land of strife. Moses sat down by a well, and ended up staying in the land of strife for forty years. Too often, after we are hurt and treated badly we end up in Midian, and we stay there for a long time. And...it is appealing to our flesh. "Midian had seven daughters..." No wonder Moses settled down there. As a single man, that was very appealing to him. Seven daughters! Strife is just as appealing to some folks. They are the happiest when they are stirring up trouble.

That is not the way that God wants His children to live, and it is time to move! Moses did, and you can as well!

Prayer:

"Lord, I have ended up in the land of strife because of hurtful words and actions from my past. I recognize that now, and I ask you to forgive me for hanging out so long in Midian. When I do that, you are not pleased. Jesus, you tell me to "live at peace with all men, if possible" and it is possible because all things are possible with you. I want to live a joy filled, peace filled, Word filled, love filled, victory filled life. I just can't do it in Midian. I must not be content to dwell there anymore. I choose to listen to You today as I read the story of Moses one more time. I am so thankful that he was able to leave Midian, and I am as well...with your help. In Jesus' name, amen."