Scripture Passage for Today
“So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” (Exodus 6:9 NLT)
Observation
It was the dead of winter, 1985 (to my best recollection). I was scheduled to visit a Jewish synagogue as part of a cross-cultural religious experience. Even though wind chills reached -35◦ in Kansas City that weekend, because it was part of a class assignment, I went.
Perhaps it was the way the biting wind took my breath away that day, but I haven’t yet forgotten the rabbi’s lesson that morning. He commented on the difference between the Israelites’ response in chapter 4, verse 31…
Then the people of Israel were convinced that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron. When they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. (Exodus 4:31 NLT)
…and their response in chapter 6, verse 9:
So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery. (Exodus 6:9 NLT)
Literally, this phrase that describes the Israelites as “too discouraged” translates “for shortness of breath”. Difficult days had knocked the wind out of them, and they could no longer find it in themselves to believe.
Of course, the Hebrew word for “wind” and “spirit” (and “breath”) is the same word—they’d had the spirit (“Spirit”, perhaps?) knocked out of them! What once was believable and motivating and joyful and promoted worship now meant nothing “for shortness of breath”.
Life sure does that, doesn’t it? Life socks us in the gut some days, and it’s hard to stand, hard to breathe, hard to believe that God could be in this, or bring deliverance from it! And yet when I read this passage from Exodus, I know that it’s possible—especially in this blessed age of God’s abundant grace—to catch a second wind…to let the Holy Spirit fill us…breathe life in us…again and again and again—as often as necessary (cf. Acts 2:4, then Acts 2:31—same people both times!)
I believe that when life knocks the “wind” out of me, I not only have the opportunity but the responsibility to find a time and place to “catch my breath” again, spiritually speaking…to let the wind of the Holy Spirit—the breath of God—fill me and move me to a place of faith once more!
7 comments:
Amen Pastor! 2009 was one of those years for me. I dont think I could use the "wind" knocked of me though as what happened to me. I was so lost and confused about alot of issues in my life. I made decisions that not only affected me but my family as well. My God has forgiven me and has restored my faith in him. Even though some of the bridges that I have burnt seem to be not willing to build there half anymore God has gave me peace in my heart and has given me the courage to move on and has given me the tools to make my life better! God my God has given me peace, love, faith, and happiness again and I will never let go of that. Thank you God!!!
Have a good day everyone!
Your words today Pastor are very helpful, tho all the days have been thank you. Praise the Lord He does but the wind back in us and the song "He is the wind beneath my wings" comes to mind. We just have to let him do that for us and as you said find that time to go before him and catch it. Praise God, Joey for what the word is doing in your life and the breath the Lord is giving you.
In serious bad times in our life, we look up and are restored, find rest and assurance.
What would we be like without the bad times so that we can appreciate the good times with the Lord. The experiences does us good so that we might encourage others.
Thank God, He gives us strength in the good and the bad times.
Pastor Kent, a friend once told me, “In life, keeps your chin up, Greg, give someone something to aim at!” Kind of a glum outlook on life, but there is a lesson, as you point out in your blog today. All I know is that I am stronger in Christ because of the times that I have had ‘the wind knocked out of me’ (and that is only because of the grace of Jesus). Little did the Israelites know, that the (progressively) extreme hardship they had in their toil of making bricks was actually preparing them for a more difficult life in the wilderness once they left Egypt…
I would like to make a comment on Pharoah's stubborness. I think we can learn from Pharoah's bad example. When we are confronted with our sin, we must honestly assess our spiritual state and ask God to change us. Becoming hard-hearted and choosing to blame others will only make things worse. Glen H
Yep I agree pastor when I get the breath knock out of me to get back up and keep going to praise god.I can see where the people became discourage and didnt want to believe Moses. Sometimes you just get tired and dont see any other way. But they should have giving Moses a chance because they had been waiting for a deliverer to come and take them out of the slavery thank God that He sends a Moses to show us that He sees and understands our pain Glory to God forever.
All of the scripture we have been reading has been like life-giving air to me. I don't want or care to know how my life would be if I didn't have God's word to study, listen to and read daily. There's a reason people say the bible is alive. His words are life giving; if I stay away too long the very air I breathe (everyday life) becomes stale and full of toxins and barely adequate to keep me alive (spiritually), even to the point that I can feel it physically too. I was just telling my kids the other day that if I could take one thing on a deserted island it would be a bible, and to that my daughter said,"I would take fresh water." smart girl
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