The best way to remain rooted in life is to realize who you are and who God is.
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Exodus 18 Summary
Moses' Father-in-Law shows up and sees how overwhelmed Moses is in trying to administrate and adjudicate life in the Israelite community. Moses clearly has the right idea: when problems arise, the solution will be found by seeking and applying God's law.
But with so many grumbling people, Moses was being overwhelmed in trying to seek God's will in each and every case on his own. Jethro comes in and provides sage advice which has been used by God's people ever since: Surround yourself with respected, godly men and trust them to follow God's leading.
Dig Deeper
This chapter certainly has good advice on administration and the value of solid leadership for a community, but there's a little gem v4 that's even more interesting:
The name of one of Moses' sons was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land”), and the name of the other, Eliezer (for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).
One of the reasons Moses was able to stay rooted while the people around him were so fickle was that Moses understood his situation in life so clearly that the names he chose for his sons reflect it. Whereas most people have an instinct to find immediate comfort in life and to constantly worry about every problem that crops up, Moses knew that lasting comfort must wait until they arrived in the Promised Land, and that God would continually supply their every need.
You need to keep this in mind as well, otherwise you're making yourself prone to becoming like the faithless grumblers wandering through the desert. Like Gershom, realize that this world is not your home, but that you're a pilgrim, making your way to the Promised Land, and like Eliezer, remember that the God of your fathers has been and always will be your help.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our blessed God, who has delivered us out of slavery (v9)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live as a pilgrim, focused on the Promised Land, and thank God for His never ending provision in your life.
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
