S – The Lord said to him, “Who placed a mouth on humans? Who makes a person mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” Moses said, “Please, Lord, send someone else.” Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses…

Exodus 4:11–14 CSB

O – After a series of excuses, the Lord becomes angry at Moses.  He burns not at his inability but his unavailability and attitude.

A – The Lord is big enough to handle our inadequacy.  The big challenge to God is that he created man with free will so he can choose to obey or disobey God.  Man can say “no” or “yes.”  When our attitude is focused on “me” instead of God, we close off the attitude of availability to God’s prompting.

R – Lord, I surrender my will to yours today.  I am grateful for all the gifts and talents you have blessed me with today.  I choose to align my attitude and obedience with your Word and promptings to be available to your will.  Give me the courage and wisdom to accomplish all that you have for me today.

S – God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.^, This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” ¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation. 

Exodus 3:14–15 CSB

O – I Am WHO I Am: This name could also be translated I Will Be What I Will Be. It speaks of a God who is self-sufficient, self-existent, all encompassing, and without limitations, the one being in the universe who is not dependent on something else for his existence.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – This is the God I recognize, invite and serve in my life.  A God who is all these things without limitations.  

R – Lord, I am grateful that a God is vast as you knows me.  I want to grow in my understanding of who you are so I can grow in my faith and acquisition of your character.  Just as you sent Moses, you are sending me to be your light in situations and with people today.  I ask for your courage and wisdom to fulfill your purposes for me today.

S – Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse him for me, and I will pay your wages.” So the woman took the boy and nursed him. ¹⁰ When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” 

Exodus 2:9–10 CSB

O – Twice in this chapter, Moses’ mother has to make a difficult decision – trust her child to God’s will.  Earlier, she put him in a basket hoping for mercy that he wouldn’t be killed. She released him into the river with no assurance.  Here, he is released to be someone else’s son and raised in their ways.  As a parent, this is amazing faith.

A – Parents need to do their part in raising their kids and invite God to do his part as well.  Love takes on many different applications.  We need to listen to the Holy Spirit in the journey.

R – Lord, even as my children are grown, Kristin and I are still their parents.  Help us to hear your voice in how to love and lead them at this stage.  Let our parenting, strengthen their faith and love in you.

S – But the more they oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

Exodus 1:12 CSB

O – Fascinating principle throughout the Bible – the more God’s plan is challenged, the more it flourishes.  God fulfills his words to Abraham that his lineage would be oppressed but then go into the promised land.  

A –  I can trust God’s work in my life because He is using it to grow me closer to Him.  At the same time, I am a puzzle piece in his giant puzzle of mankind.  It all works together for His good.

R – Lord, I put my trust in you.  I know that You are leading me in Your ways so that I may be who You called me to be.  I also know that you have a higher purpose that I can have faith in for the larger good.  Let me have an attitude of humility, courage and resolution as I go throughout my day.

S – ⁴ The Lord asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 

Jonah  4:4 CSB 

O – The Lord demonstrates with the plant why Jonah shouldn’t be angry.  The plant was created by God and removed by God.  God cared for the people of Nineveh even when they didnt love him.

A – The big lesson is that it is pointless to be angry with God because He holds your life and purpose.  He promises he is doing all things for your good and will make all circumstances to your benefit because he loves youl

The small lesson is that I personally think you can be angry with God.  If I am in  a relationship with God, it is ok to get angry, vent and tell God how you feel.  In those moments of frustration and disagreement, I have gotten to know how I truly feel about God and more of his character revealed.  I haven’t won a fight with God.  Yet, I am grateful that I am not his “robot” either.  It is a true relationship.

R – Lord, there are a number of things that I have been angry about with you.  Thank you for allowing me to put it all out there.  Your graciousness to show your mercy and patience with me is overwhelming.  In the end, I love you and put my trust in your purpose for me.

S – Then the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least. 

⁶ When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

Jonah 3:5–6 CSB

O – Jonah’s declarations that the Lord gave him brought results.  The people of Nineveh repented and even the king acted up on it.

A – When the Lord directs us to do something, the results line up with His will.  Ironically, most of the commentary discusses whether it was genuine repentance due to the fact they still were vicious in their military actions and daily life.  I think that Jonah’s obedience is the central point of the story.

R – Lord, I need to hear your voice daily.  As your Holy Spirit leads and prompts, let me obey and move accordingly.  The results are up to you.  I cannot control others…nor do I want to.  I am responsible for my thoughts, words and actions – those need to point to a healthy relationship with you.

S – But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. 

Salvation belongs to the Lord!” 

Jonah 2:9 ESV

O – Jonah offers adoration and worship to God. He will fulfill his promise to God. Deliverance is God’s to give.  In Chapter 1, Jonah had an identity in God.  Now, he is showing his trust in God.  Note:  Interesting that his response of sacrifice and vow is the same as the sailors on the ship in Chapter 1 after throwing him overboard.

A – When we move from identity in God to relationship, faith, love and hope become the foundation.  All of these point to a greater trust in Him.  We can confidently put our trust in Him because we know he wants what is best for us.  Jonah knew God would deliver him from the fish and that he would be able to fulfill his sacrifice and vows.

R – Lord, there are so many questions we face every day.  Thank you for the confidence to see each situation with the Holy Spirit as our guide and comforter.  We put our trust in you today.

S – “And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land”

Jonah 1:9 CSB

O – In the midst of the storm, Jonah identifies himself by his nationality and that he is afraid of God (Jehovah – the name of the God of Israel). He reaffirms this by saying God again (’ĕlôhı̂ym:  the supreme God).  Then he states that God is the creator of the sea and dry land.  The two entities the sailors are contending with at the moment.  These sailors feared God, made sacrifices to Him and made vows at the end of the chapter.

A – Hearing Jonah’s description of who he is is surprising yet we do this as well.  He says that he is devoted to God in his identity of who he is and who God is.  Yet, he is running.  He is knowingly disobedient to God’s plan and purpose.  Yet, he is at peace with the storm he knows he created.  Only when he surrenders to the chaos God is allowing to happen, is peace restored…which leads to the sailors experiencing God.  We can’t run from God.  As scary as his calling is, we need to obey.

R – Lord, your calling is real and it can be scary.  Yet, you promise to go with us through the Holy Spirit.  Give us the courage to obey today.  Give us the ability to take the next step that you have for us.  We trust that as we do that, we will have a peace that calms the storms and that others will be drawn to you.

S – Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Colossians 4:6 CSB

O – Two concepts:

1.  Gracious:  Your words should have the attributes of undeserved favor.  Humility, not proud, forgiving and forbearance.

2. Seasoned with salt:  Your words should enhance the flavor and pull out the essence of the concept being discussed without changing the concept.  Salt preserves, adds flavor, stabilizes and binds.

A – I need to have an attitude of grace when I am speaking.  Remembering that I received grace, I need to extend grace as I talk with others.  My words should bring depth and meaning to the conversation.  I can share with conviction my thoughts and value someone enough to hear theirs even when I don’t agree.  Agreement isn’t the goal…relationship is.

R – Lord, start with me in my conversations today.  Let my words align with my growing relationship with you.  Let me come from a place of humility and not judgment.  I will speak the truth in love, respecting and valuing everyone I converse with today. 

S – Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful

Colossians 3:14–15 CSB

O – In Paul’s list of virtues, love transcends all of them.  It is the glue that holds all of it together.  Out of love comes peace, which rules our thoughts and feelings.  Even as we interact with each other, we can have peace.  The list continues with gratitude.

A – Paul appears to be just spouting off things that come to his mind.  Yet, there is a progression.  If we walk in love, it brings us together in a relationship.  If Christ is the center of those relationships, there will be peace because of the love and direction He gives us.  To walk in peace is counterintuitive to our human nature which results in gratitude.  This should make us want to love more…

R – Lord, I am grateful for the love you have shown to me.  Help me to give that to others.  Relationships can be messy.  When they are, let me invite you into them so that I can walk in peace.  In doing so, thank you for showing me your ways are better than mine.  It makes me love you even more.