Exodus 2 Moses Hides Out in Midian

Moses has killed an Egyptian.  And he flees to escape punishment.  If he had killed a Hebrew man instead of a cruel Egyptian, you can bet he'd have never seen punishment.  But what Moses did was wrong and he could not escape the Pharoah's punishment if he stayed.  He hid out in Midian.  He rescues some women at a well drawing water from some shepherds who tried to run them off.  One of the girls would eventually become his wife, Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, who invited Moses to settle with him.  He became a stranger in a strange land.  It would take many years after running away for Moses to be ready to serve God. 

 

We all feel abandoned or isolated at times because of things we have done or things that have even happened to us.  I feel that way often because I am sick and live alone.  Thankfully, I have family to help me and support me, but that isn't always enough to stop the loneliness from creeping in around me.  I wish I could say I trusted God with this all the time but I don't.  I fail to trust Him.  But I am working on it and He is helping me with it.  He has given me a supportive family.  I can trust that He will take care of the rest.

Meanwhile, while Moses is hanging out in Midian, learning to be a shepherd for his father-in-law, the Hebrews are back in Egypt, slaving away and suffering heavily.  Of course, God hears them and knows their pain.  He sees their suffering, just as He sees ours.  He has a plan:  "Operation Moses."  And Moses is in training, acquiring all kinds of wilderness skills while he sees after those sheep for Jethro.  By the way, did you ever wonder how Moses bested all those shepherds who were harrassing the Midianite girls at the well?  I'm guessing he was thoroughly trained in Egyptian warfare.  The Egyptian military at the time was the most well trained advanced army in the world.  He knew how to fight.  More training and knowledge that was about to come in quite handy.

It would be nice if our rescue from our own troubles came at the time that WE want it, but God doesn't work like that.  The people had waited a long time for God to keep His promise to deliver them.  You know they were belly-aching and moaning.  Who could blame them?  But God heard them.  He listened.  We belly-ache and moan, too.  Who can blame us?  We have to trust that God knows the best time to act.  He hasn't forgotten us in our painful times no matter how much it may seem that way (I'm telling YOU this and I'm telling ME this!)  We have to remember that God has a timetable we just cannot see...except maybe with hindsight, which I hear comes with 20-20 vision!