Calling on El Shaddai for Mercy
BACK STORY:
– As the food stores run out, Jacob/Israel and his family living in Canaan, hears that there is food in Egypt.
At this point we see the God-blessed wisdom from old Jacob/Israel.
Then their father Israel said to his sons,
“If you must go back to Egypt, then do this: take some of the best products of the land, and carry them down to the Egyptian ruler as a present–a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
“Take double the money to pay for the grain this time, and take back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.
“Take your brother, Benjamin, also, and return to Egypt; and may El-Shaddai,God Almighty, grant you mercy in the sight of the Egyptian ruler, so that he will release to you your other brother and allow Benjamin to return also.
“And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, then I am bereaved.”
🤔 When faced with what looked like an impossible situation, where he was going to lose at least one of his sons, Jacob/Israel falls back on his God, El Shaddai, as a source of hope. It wasn’t a great statement of faith, “MAYBE El-Shaddai will grant you mercy in his eyes.”
A lot of bad things had happened in Jacob’s life the past few years. The great love of his life, Rachel, had died giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. Jacob’s father and mother, of course, had passed away. His other sons had engaged in some outrageous scandals, filling him with great disappointment. In response, Jacob was clinging even more tightly to his youngest son, Benjamin. In a way, he was looking for this last son to be the success his older brother Joseph had been becoming, just before he was ravaged by wild beasts, or so Jacob believed. Benjamin was Jacob’s last hope of leaving a legacy of success.
🍎 We tend to have the same wrong heart attitudes that father Jacob exhibited, because they are common human failings.
💔 Have you fixed your heart on someone as more important to you than God is? That is the essence of idolatry.🗿
❓️Do you see where God is putting you in a situation where you need to detach heartstrings from your ‘idol’ and re-attach to Him? If so, how do you think you can make it easier on yourself?
👀 Do you realize God is active behind the scenes, carrying out His plan for salvation? You might not be aware of specifics, but you can be sure that He is. How can you integrate this understanding into how you respond to problems as they crop up?
A great worship song that reminds us that God is working is Way Maker,
Artist: Leeland
https://youtu.be/29IxnsqOkmQ?is=NW75zn0nk4Z7mtda
Lyrics:
Vs. 1. You are here, moving in our midst
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, working in this place
I worship You, I worship You
(Chorus) You are Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness, my God
That is who You are.
You are, Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, Light in the darkness,
My God, That is who You are.
Vs 2. You are here, touching every heart
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, healing every heart
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, turning lives around
I worship You, I worship You
You are here, mending every heart
I worship You, I worship You
That is who You are, That is who You are
That is who You are, That is who You are.
Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working.
Written by: Osinachi Kalu Okoro
© 2016 Sinach
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from Job 13 and 31.
THEME: Job longs to reason with the Almighty.
“Be quiet and let me speak now,
then let come to me what may.
“Oh, that someone would listen me!
Look, here is my signed complaint,
And the indictment which my adversary has written against me.”
“Why do I put myself in jeopardy
– and take my life in my hands by calling on God?
Even though He slays me,
Yet I will still hope in Him.
I will surely defend myself to His face.
Indeed, this will actually turn out for my deliverance,
Because an atheist would not dare come before Him!
“How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
God, show me my offenses and my sin.
Why do you hide your face from me
– and consider me your enemy?”
• and then I will not cower from You:
Withdraw Your hand far from me,
• and stop frightening me with terror.
Then summon me and I will answer,
• or let me speak, and then You reply to me.”
CONCLUSION:
“Let the Almighty answer me!
For I’ve done nothing wrong,
I deserve my day in the heavenly court!”
😲 WOW❗️What do you think about Job demanding a personal audience with God, where he can state his complaints, present his case for innocence, and then call God to account for making a mistake? 🤔
Words that come to mind are presumptuous, pretentious and preemptory.
DEFINITIONS:
✅️ Job was presuming he had the right to demand God give an accounting for what had happened to him. That implies Job thought he was greater than God.
✅️ Job didn’t think he had done anything to deserve such harsh treatment and that God was wrong for allowing it to happen. Job was magnifying his importance.
✅️ Job felt like he had the right to demand God answer his complaints. It doesn’t work that way. God demands an accounting from us, not the other way around.
🍎 What about you? Do you sometimes feel God is letting you down and not meeting your expectations?
🔃 Say what you will about how off base Job and his friends could be, at least they understood the preeminence of God in the world and life. We no longer see the hand of God in everything, especially compared to our forefathers of the faith, even in the United States. Maybe that’s because we’re not looking. Maybe it’s because we’re not seeking God in prayer for our needs, then waiting for Him to act when the time is right.
❓️Can you think of some need in your life right now where you’ve lost faith in God’s provision?
❓️How do you think you can walk that back and trust in God again, rather than demanding you get what you want, how you want it and when you want it?
_______________________
III. WORSHIP 4. Revelation 15,
Pause Before the Final Seven Plagues:
SETTING THE SCENE:
“Seven angels with the last seven plagues, the final plagues of God’s judgment;
And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire.”
“They held harps given to them by God and they played the harps and sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and then they sang the song of the Lamb…”
(Begin praying back to God.)
I praise Your name O LORD Yahweh;
I praise Your greatness, O my God! 🙌
You are my Rock,
Your actions are perfect,
and all Your ways are right.
You are a righteous God who does no wrong,
You are faithful and true.
You are our Father, our Creator,
You made us and You formed us.
There is no God besides You.
You put to death and You bring back to life,
You wound us and You heal us. ⚕️
No one can escape out of Your hand.
No one can escape the wrath of Your judgment.
You will avenge the blood of Your servants;
You will punish Your enemies – for what they have done, ⚖️
For what they have done to Your people,
– and for what they have done to me.
Selah (Pause and think about it.) 🤔
__________________________________________
Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God Almighty! 💪
Righteous and true are Your ways.
You’re King of the nations! 👑
You’re King of ALL the nations!
I revere You, O Lord; 🙌
For You alone are holy,
I glorify Your name!
For You alone are worthy.
I bow in worship to You, 🛐
Because Your righteouness will be revealed–
When Your justice is made clear;
When Your power’s no longer concealed.
You’re the God who lives for ever and ever. Heaven is filled with Your glory and power.
I fall down before Your Greatness in honor,
I declare You, O God, my Lord forever. 🧎♂️🧎♀️
Amen and amen!
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