Session 1

What if the right thing costs you everything?

From Exodus: A 34-Day Devotional

Have you ever found yourself in a seemingly hopeless situation, feeling trapped and completely stuck? Perhaps you questioned if God noticed your pain and suffering, or if He even cared? Searching for a light at the end of a dark tunnel may seem endless, and it can leave us asking, "God, are we there yet?"

This is likely how the Israelites felt under Pharaoh's rule. As their population increased in Egypt, the new Pharaoh felt politically threatened and decided to enslave them in an effort to crush their spirit. Pharaoh also ordered Hebrew midwives to drown all male children at birth. Imagine the turmoil and anguish these women felt!

Placed into a situation they knew was wrong, these brave people chose God's principles over worldly principles and were rewarded. "So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own"(Exodus 1:20-21).

No matter what we’re facing, hope is always present. God can sometimes seem slow in fulfilling His promises, but His promises are always kept and His timing is always perfect. God has a plan, full of wisdom and resolution. Though we may not always understand the difficulties we face, we can rest assured God is planning something far better than we can hope for ourselves.

Reflect:

• Have you ever felt stuck or hopeless? Looking back, how was God at work in that situation?
• Have you ever been asked to do something you knew was wrong?  If you chose to follow through, what were the consequences?
• What’s one promise you are still waiting for God to fulfill? What do His actions in the past tell you about His ability to come through in the future?