S – Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor of choosing. When should I appeal on behalf of you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile?” 

¹⁰ “Tomorrow,” he answered. 

Exodus 8:9–10 CSB

O – Pharoah and Egypt go through the horrific plague of frogs everywhere.  Pharoah has the choice of when Moses will make his appeal to God.  Pharoah say “Tomorrow.”  Why would he wait until then when the plague, the stench of dead frogs everywhere and the visible wreckage of Pharoah’s sin is everywhere?

A – We do this.  We are facing something in our life that is “higher” than God.  When we face it, we don’t want to confront it or remove it.  We get to the point of decision and we say “tomorrow.” I will spend another night with it.  

R – Lord, search me today.  I do not want to spend another night with things in my life that don’t please you.  Give me the courage to “look in your mirror” and see my thoughts, words and actions like you do.  Give me the urgency to remove anything you don’t bless.  Thank you for your mercy and grace.

S – But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their occult practices. So Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. ²³ Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and didn’t take even this to heart

Exodus 7:22–23 CSB

O – Commentary:

The Egyptian priests did not do anything as extensive as Moses and Aaron had done, but Pharaoh did not want to believe, so it took only the smallest thing to justify his unbelief.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – It doesn’t take a lot for unbelief to set in.  No matter how big God does something, we can find the tiniest “exception” and say God isn’t perfect, loving or who He says He is.

R – Lord, help me to see you in truth and grace.  You and your ways are perfect.  My imperfections cannot stand next to you. Through your grace, you allow me to have a relationship with you.  You allow me to grow through my sin and gain more of you character each day.  Let me do that today!

S – Then God spoke to Moses, telling him, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I was not known to them by my name ‘the Lord

Exodus 6:2–3 CSB

O – Commentary:  

While the patriarchs might have known the name Yahweh, it is possible that they had never seen God’s nature displayed as it was in the Exodus and the Sinai Covenant. In Hebrew, a person’s name has a broader significance than it does in English. People’s names were intended to reflect their character and nature, not just serve as a label (see, e.g., Ps 8:1, 9; 148:13). Here reveal is a Hebrew word often translated “to know,” which implies intimate knowledge and experience. In this case, the patriarchs knew God’s name, but they did not know and experience his nature fully as he revealed himself in the Exodus.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Each person gets to see the different aspects of God’s character.  Just as I am a son, father, grandfather and pastor, God takes on different roles with various qualities.  The two in this verse “The Lord” and “God Almighty” would be appropriate for what Moses was communicating.  We need to seek God according to his true character each day.

R – Today, I come to you El Shaddai.  You are Yahweh to me and there is no other.  I thank you that all of your character comes into this relationship -healer, provider, banner over me and more.  Thank you for allowing me to grow in an understanding of your heart and character.

S – So Moses went back to the Lord and asked, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? And why did you ever send me? ²³ Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in your name he has caused trouble for this people, and you haven’t rescued your people at all.” 

Exodus 5:22–23 CSB

O – Commentary:  The phrase brought all this trouble could be translated even more strongly as done all this evil. Is God really good or not? Instead of rescuing the people out of their evil circumstances as he had promised, it seems that God had only made the situation worse. Is he faithful or not? Is he powerful or not?

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

* God isn’t rescuing the Israelites like He promised and Moses wants to know why.

A – We have all been there.  We have a promise from God and it isn’t happening.  We ask God why and why me?  Moses was eventually known as “the man who walked with God.”  Before that, Moses struggled and had doubts like the rest of us.  Yet, his faith grew…like the rest of us.  We need to keep growing in our faith and relationship with God.

R – Lord, even when I don’t see it you are working for my good.  Help me not to question you or your results.  Help my faith and trust to grow in you today.  Help me to move through the “why’s” and into the “Here I am.”  Give me the strength, wisdom and courage to do this today.

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.