Grains of Sand

Google Images There is a story in the book of Judges that describes the choosing of a spiritual leader. These were dark days for the Israelites. Everyone did whatever they chose to do. Judges 17 recounts the story of a man by the name of Micah apparently stole or “borrowed” money from his mother. When he confessed that he had stolen it, she gave it back to him and told him to make an idol with it. Micah set up a worship centre in his house, made a few more idols and appointed one of his sons as priest. Apparently that wasn’t sufficient because a wandering Levite came to his home, and when Micah realized that he was a Levite, one of tribe chosen by God to look after the things consecrated to the service of the Lord, Micah figured there was not much better than “the real deal.” The Levite was looking for someplace to live and Micah offered him a job. “ Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food…Then Micah insta...

Four hundred years have passed since Joseph ruled in Egypt. Since we tend to forget our history we also forget the lessons we should have learned from it. The records gathered dust in some corner of a local museum and the last survivors of the age had long since turned to dust. Another Pharaoh came to power who didn’t know the story of Joseph. The whole picture changed. Jacob’s descendants are now slaves in the land where they had once flourished. Their master has worked hard to keep them in submission, even to decreeing the death of all male children—something akin to cutting off your nose despite your face since it would be the males who would be required to continue to build the magnificent structure for which the Egyptians were famous. By the grace of God, one Hebrew boy has escaped the fate of many of his brothers. Moses has spent forty years in the wilderness of Midian, guarding sheep. He has married and settled down. It’s a far cry from a palace in Egypt but a whole lot ...