SCRIPTURE: Exodus 1.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became.13 So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy.14 They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands. Ex 1:12-14 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

God spoke to me in two ways in this chapter this morning:

1. Jacob and his forefathers had been so devoted to God, showing such respect to Him and giving Him praise as they saw His hand at work, and they were blessed in so many more ways. I am overjoyed to be reminded here in this passage that Jacob’s ancestors are still being extremely blessed and protected by God. This tells me that while I strive to walk uprightly before God today, and may witness many miracles and blessings from God, still I may never know the full extent of God’s blessings. He may go on and bless through my family long after I am gone, because of my faithfulness. This is no reason to be faithful today though, for God deserves my very best today because of my commitment in allowing Him to be Lord of my life. What is returned to me and my descendants as a result of my faithfulness, is all considered ‘blessings’, praise be to God!
   
2. Sometimes when we are burdened and feel mistreated, as in the case of the Israelites, we may be tempted to give up. However, like the Israelites, we must learn to always look to God, from whom our strength comes, and be overcomers. Sometimes in the depth of our burdens we become even stronger. There is a song that touches on this through the words “I Never Lost my Praise” and this is because we never lose our hope, our joy in the Lord, our blessings from God, even when we think we are going through the toughest of times God is still in control and will give us the strength and joy of overcoming. That’s just the kind of God that I serve!
   

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Please God help me stay focused on this each and every day, especially those days when I feel like I must be handling all the struggles and setbacks alone. I know that You promised to never leave me alone, so help me to focus on the fact that You are there with me through all circumstances, and with You guiding me and looking out for me, what have I to fear? May You receive praise because of my faith, dedication and expressed love for You through everything that I say and everything that I do.