How often does it seem that things get worse before they get better? Before Moses went to Pharaoh, He knew that life was going to get worse for His people. During this time God came to His people in a way their ancestors had not known him: I-Am-Present. How cool is it to realize that God is present in hardships we go through? Things are always a bit better when I remind myself that God is with me even in ‘this.’

“So Moses went to Pharaoh. ‘Pharaoh,’ Moses began, ‘God says -‘ ‘God?’ Pharaoh said. ‘Never heard of him.’ Moses kept going. ‘God says, let his people go free.’ ‘Why should I?’ Pharaoh said. ‘Don’t want to. WON’T!’ So he didn’t.”

Moses went back to God and said, “My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? And why did you ever send me? From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?”

God continued speaking to Moses, reassuring him, “I am God. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as The Strong God, but by my name God (I-Am-Present) I was not known to them…But now I’ve heard the groanings of the Israelites whom the Egyptians continue to enslave and I’ve remembered my covenant. Therefore tell the Israelites: “I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God.” But when Moses delivered this message to the Israelites, they didn’t even hear him—they were that beaten down in spirit by the harsh slave conditions.

Exodus 3-13

I am following my friend Amanda’s Advent Stitch-A-Long. You can find instructions for today’s ornament here. Prep instructions by Amanda are here.

The book used for the Advent reading is The Jesus Storybook Bible. You can find more information the book here or buy it on Amazon here.