Exodus 13 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, ‘G-d will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.’” Exodus 13: 19

Do you remember the names of your grandparents’ parents? I don’t know the names of mine. I’ve definitely not heard of any agreements they made about their bones. I’m as good as cursed if they did!

What if we compounded this scenario by 400 years? Do you know the names of your ancestors who lived 400 years ago? Imagine a solemn oath that endured twice as long as the United States has been a nation. This was the case with Joseph’s bones.

Attached to the folklore of Joseph’s bones, was the promise of hope. It was the hope of freedom by Divine intervention that sustained the Israelites all those years. For the Israelites, the tradition of, “what we’re going to do with Joseph’s bones”, had to be comforting, because it promised deliverance. At times, it must have felt more like superstition than G-d’s promise! Still, there was the hope: Maybe it’s true…maybe G-d really will deliver us from Egypt and deposit us in Canaan.

Sometimes, planning your response to blessing is all the hope you need to get through the hard times. When money is tight…and it usually is…I make a mental list of the people I want to give money to, as soon as I am financially free again.

But in the end, freedom is not about finances. Freedom is spiritual. Many wealthy people are miserable, and many poor are peaceful.

“Your life should be free of the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ Therefore, we may boldly say: The L-rd is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13: 5-6

Yeshua said, “I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I prepare a place, I will surely return to take you there.” John 14:2-3

It is this hope of the resurrection, combined with Yeshua's promise to never leave or forsake us, which allows the believer to hopefully endure this life and its trials. As was the case with Joseph’s bones in Egypt, so the will L-rd prove Himself faithful, towards us. He will return to take us home to Heaven…not to bury us in the ground, but so that we may walk in newness of life!

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Associate Leader, Worship Leader
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Friday, March 14, 2014