We’ve probably all attended a family reunion as some
point or another resulting in various blessings (and frustrations) in our
lives. Moses’ reunion with his family
gives us a witness of his faith and provided him with wisdom to lead God’s
people.
The dangerous journey to Egypt and back was done. The Egyptians had been defeated and the
Israelites were free. So Jethro packed
up Zipporah, Gershom and Eliezer to bring them back to Moses. We don’t know how long they were separated, but
I’m inclined to think it was a good while.
We can certainly imagine the relief, the joy, and the love they may have
expressed in embraces and reminiscence.
As Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, heard what God had done
he praised God for His salvation. However,
as he watched his son-in-law work (and Moses was about 80 years old now) he
confronted him with some good worldly wisdom.
He told him, “Lighten your load!
You are going to wear yourself and your people out!” This may be the first recorded incident of
the adage: “Many hands make light work.”
In the church today, people sometimes decry the use of
leadership principles and strategies.
However, here is a clear example of both being employed. What always must be remembered is that those
principles are used in the service of the Gospel, and not the other way
around. We want to be effective for the
Gospel. Our goal is not
effectiveness. Our goal is to proclaim
the Good News of reconciliation in Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, good planning, structure,
delegation, and empowerment can help us achieve the goal.
The trick is keeping the first thing first. The Gospel is the first thing.
Whenever Moses called his sons, he was reminded of that
first thing. Their names were
confessions of his faith and relationship to God. They can also serve as good reminders to
us.
Moses recorded that his first son’s name was
Gershom. Gershom sounds like the Hebrew
word for, “sojourner,” one who is living for a time in a land that is not his
own. Moses, as part of Israel, had been
promised a land flowing with milk and honey.
When he was in Midian, he knew he was not in that land. He was sojourning. We have a similar promise. Jesus said He went ahead to prepare a place
for us and that He would return to take us to be with Him. We are sojourning here. This is not our home. There is more and better in store for all who
believe in Jesus.
Moses’ second son was named Eliezer, which means, “My God
is help.” What a name! What a reminder! The last four letters, “EZER” imply the kind
of help that saves lives. God is not
only a helper, he helps to our salvation.
As we are reminded that we have a home waiting for us after our sojourn
on earth is done, God helps us through this life and leads us to the place
Jesus has prepared for us.
Knowing that we are sojourners; that this world is not
our home, and that we are helped and saved by God Himself, keeps our focus
where it belongs: on God; on His
salvation; on the Gospel. Our privilege
as we sojourn is, by the help of God, to share the good news of salvation so
others can join in the sojourn of the saved, helped by God to a place prepared
for them in Heaven, too.
Father, sometimes I
think this is home. Help me remember
that I am a sojourner who has gotten this far with Your help. Empower me to share Your good news and point
people to Jesus so they can be sojourners, too, as You help them toward Heaven
for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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