Exodus 7-8 and 1 Corinthians 4
Pharaoh, honestly, reminds me a little of myself. He had position, power, and status, and he believed he knew who he was. He was confident, but that confidence was rooted in the world, not in God, and not in alignment with Him. And I’m learning that without alignment, no matter how strong you feel or how secure your position seems, it will eventually crumble. Pharaoh clearly recognized God’s power: he even wanted Moses to bless him, but he still wasn’t willing to let go of his own understanding or his perception of who he was. Even after witnessing the truth firsthand, his heart remained unaligned. He couldn’t let go of who the world had shaped him to believe he was. I can see parts of myself in that. I’ve experienced blessings in my life, and I’ve seen God move, but I have not been in alignment. For me, it hasn’t come from a hardened heart or outright disobedience, but from a lack of true understanding, of who God is and who I am in Him. A lot of us say, “I believe in God,” but do we really know Him? Are we in right alignment? Are we living in a way that reflects a real relationship with Him? I had to be honest with myself, I am not. I repent! I am asking God to guide me and to help me to get to where His will is for me to be. I am willing, like Moses. And I am now working on, and coming into a deeper understanding and a stronger relationship with God. I finally understand what it means to “study to show thyself approved.” I cannot truly be in relationship with God if I am not willing to seek Him, learn Him, and know Him through His Word. Moses, in many ways, was the opposite of Pharaoh. He didn’t have position, and he knew he wasn’t perfect. But his heart was aligned with God. He was willing and obedient, and as his relationship with God grew, so did his confidence and understanding of who he was. This is where I see myself in Moses. Not in position. Not perfect. But willing. Willing to learn, willing to grow, willing to be obedient and willing to build a real relationship with God so that I can be in right alignment with Him. I know this won’t happen overnight. There is still a lot of me that has to die to self. But I can honestly say, I am willing and obedient as much as I learn and understand more of how that looks. And I am seeking a deeper understanding, trusting that it will lead me, like Moses, into right alignment with God. And while in this journey I will give myself some grace!