HOPE

Reading through Exodus 6 this morning I was struck by the question: what would our lives be like if we listened to the promises of God?

More specifically,

 what would MY life be like if I really listened to the word of God?

Not an uncommon question if you're a Christian, I know, but one I believe requires continued consideration. 

God TOLD the Israelites, "I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements.  Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." Exodus 6:6-7

He told them it would all work out.

However, what the Isrealites saw and heard and lived was all bondage.  In addition to their current lives of slavery, Pharoah had just increased their suffering because of Moses's request to let God's people worship.

"...they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage."

I don't understand the utter hopelessness of slavery or cruel bondage but I have known the feeling of hopelessness. The feeling of hopelessness when every bit of parenting advice for normal, abnormal, attached, non-attached, etc. children doesn't work. When my physical health can only be addressed by a medication, a VERY expensive medication which drains our HSA every year.  When the trauma effected children cause me to be a trauma effected momma who needs to spend more money on anti-anxiety supplements.  When cars are breaking down, medical bills are piling up, the dishwasher isn't working, the electric bill is getting higher and there seems to be no end in sight.

But then, maybe my sight needs to change.  

What IF the Isrealites had listened to Moses, 

listened to God speaking through Moses?  

They would have been rejoicing!  They would have been smiling and joking as they made their bricks.  They would have been laughing as they raced around to find more straw.  Have you ever gotten to the end of a really long work day and you know its almost over??  That's the feeling they would have had.  They would have KNOWN there was an end to the cruel bondage.  

They would have been experiencing HOPE instead of hopelessness. 

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."  Colossians 3:2-3

Suddenly...
Parenting children is not hopeless, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all WITHOUT FINDING FAULT (emphasis mine)." James 1:5

The health costs and concerns are covered, "My God shall supply all your needs your needs according to His riches in glory." Phillippians 4:19

The trauma isn't to big for God, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you." John 14:27

All those other things?  Well, I can smile because I KNOW that someday I can leave this breaking, broken world behind.  

Sure, I can't drive very far in my gas-guzzling van; maybe God wants me to stay close to home right now.  Sure, we can't pay the medical bills; maybe it's time to humble myself and ask for help (btw, God covered those for us already, He is Good). Sure...the dishwasher isn't working; maybe I need to be thankful we have food to eat (and no, its not fixed yet, and the joke that my kids can be my dishwashers doesn't work around here...that's another story for another post). 

Despondency has no place in a mind focused on God's word. 

This is not addressing depression in the clinical sense, depression is real and my anti-anxiety aids I believe are one of the many ways God supply's all my needs.

What I am saying though is...

We have a HOPE and a PEACE which surpasses all understanding WHEN we LISTEN to and BELIEVE the word of God.

Feel free to remind me of this tomorrow when my very human brain gets despondent over the things of this world yet again!