Even when we fail, God still has a plan for our lives if we are humble and willing to obey

Many years passed between the story of Joseph and Moses. Joseph died at the age of 110 years old. All his brothers, a whole generation, had also passed away. The children living in Egypt since the famine had greatly increased in number and wealth.

The new Pharoah of Egypt was not a friend of God's chosen people, unlike the Pharoah of Joseph's time. He was afraid the large Hebrew/Israelite nation might take away his power. The help Joseph had been during the famine meant nothing to this ruler.

Pharaoh made the decision to destroy the Israelites and they were forced to become slaves. They made bricks and worked hard in the fields, with cruel taskmasters beating the Hebrew people. The frequent beatings were given to destroy their spirits.

Pharaoh sets the stage

Pharoah saw how they continued to grow and ordered soldiers to throw all  newborn baby boys into the Nile to drown.

One Israelite mother, Jochebed, refused to do this. She hid her little son Moses for three months. When it became difficult to hide him, she made a waterproof basket and put him among the reeds on the river bank. The baby's older sister, Miriam, stayed on the bank and watched the basket.

As she was watching, the Egyptian princess found the basket and decided to keep him for herself, adopting him as her own. She needed a nurse to care for the baby and Miriam was there to offer to get a Hebrew woman to care for him. Miriam took him to her mother Jochebed, who cared for him for two years.

He was taken to the palace to live as an Egyptian prince. There Moses received the education he would need to help the Israelites later in life. He learned the Egyptians code of law, rituals and standards of morality. Even though Moses was surrounded by the riches of Egypt, he did not forget his own people.

Moses goes in exile

One day when he was older, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Enraged, Moses beat the taskmaster to death and buried his body in the sand. When Pharaoh found out, Moses ran away to a land called Midian in fear for his life.

Living there, he got a job as a shepherd, married and had two sons. He learned many things about the desert he would need to know to accomplish God's plan for His life.

Moses felt he could never serve God after killing the Egyptian, but God had a special plan for him. He was preparing him to lead God's great nation through the wilderness to safety and to the land he had promised Abraham.

God calls Moses to lead

One day, as Moses cared for the sheep, God got his attention by causing a bush to burst into flame without burning up. When Moses saw the bush, he went to investigate. God spoke to Moses telling him he  chose him to lead God's people, the Israelites of Egypt.

But Moses did not think he was strong enough to lead God's people. God asked him who made his mouth. God promised to give him the words to say. Moses was a very humble man and he believed and trusted God to guide him and give him the words that would cause Pharaoh to let God's people go.

God was not finished with Moses yet. Moses was 80 years old when he began his journey to Egypt to set God's people free and lead them to the land God promised hundreds of years before.

God has a plan for our lives

God called Moses and prepared him to complete the plan God had for his life. God also has a plan for each of us and will prepare us.

We learn from the story of Moses that God calls us and he will prepare us. We must stay in touch with God and be obedient to him.

Moses was not a perfect man, but he loved God and was willing to give up the riches of Egypt to be faithful to God's people. It was not easy. It is never easy, but God is with us, and He makes a way.

God is faithful my friends, Trust Him as he leads. He has a plan. Take advantage of the opportunities to gain experience and learn. Be prepared for this good plan He has for you. The end of our journey is the Heavenly Home He has promised to His children.

Contact Information

Morgan County Schools of Weekday Religious Education, P.O. Box 1285, Martinsville, IN. 46151.