Recovery Devotional 355 Idolatry too Close to Home

JMD Devotional 355 Exodus 4:19, 24-26 Idolatry too Close to Home

19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, Go back to Egypt; for all the men who were seeking your life [for killing the Egyptian] are dead.

24-26 Along the way at a [resting-] place, the Lord met [Moses] and sought to kill him [made him acutely and almost fatally ill]. [Now apparently he had failed to circumcise one of his sons, his wife being opposed to it; but seeing his life in such danger] Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it to touch [Moses'] feet, and said, Surely a husband of blood you are to me! When He let [Moses] alone [to recover], Zipporah said, A husband of blood are you because of the circumcision.

Footnote: [He who is on his way to liberate the people of the circumcision has in Midian even neglected to circumcise his second son Eliezer (J.P. Lange, A Commentary). It was necessary that at this stage of Moses' experience he should learn that God is in earnest when He speaks, and will assuredly perform all that He has threatened (J.G. Murphy, A Commentary on the Book of Exodus).]

God is so infinitely above anything in this physical realm that putting anything else first is a great evil; even your devotion to your spouse must be subordinate to your devotion to God. A test men often fail is to take the ‘peaceful way’ rather then the ‘righteous way’, or they trade convenience for godliness. The best husband any woman could have is a man who fears God and uncompromisingly puts Him first, a man willing to make unpopular (but righteous) decisions, a man willing to accept her scorn rather than betray his first love.

Dear God,

I thank You that it is not very often that my wife comes between us; but tests do come. Help me to be sold out to You, totally devoted, unwavering, with true fidelity. Only by Your power and presence and godly influence in my life can I be a faithful man: sustain my integrity. You are first in my affections, highest in my esteem, primary in my loyalty; my one true God.

Amen

All (but*) quotes are from The Amplified Bible, published by

the Lockman Foundation. (AMP)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

*New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

**Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. (Eugene Peterson's easy-to-read, contemporary Scripture translation)

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