Step Study Teach
  • Home
  • About
  • Today’s Step
    • Devotionals
    • Youth Bible Steps >
      • What is God Like?
      • Walk Like Jesus
      • Overcoming Insecurity
      • Spiritual Flu Shots
  • Bible Studies
    • Bible Study Steps
    • Bible Notes
    • My Quiet Time
  • Topical Study
    • The Nature & Character of God Topical Study
    • Hearing the Voice of God Topical Study
    • Repentance & Forgiveness Topical Study
    • Intercession Topical Study
    • Relationships Topical Study
    • Jesus is Lord Topical Study
    • The Father Heart of God Topical Study
    • Worship Topical Study
    • Missions Topical Study
    • God's Promises
    • Building a Healthy Marriage
    • Love God's Word
    • Purity
    • Love Topical Study
    • Hope
    • Bible Basics
  • Teaching Tools
    • How to Teach
    • Stories
  • Memorization
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • Today’s Step
    • Devotionals
    • Youth Bible Steps >
      • What is God Like?
      • Walk Like Jesus
      • Overcoming Insecurity
      • Spiritual Flu Shots
  • Bible Studies
    • Bible Study Steps
    • Bible Notes
    • My Quiet Time
  • Topical Study
    • The Nature & Character of God Topical Study
    • Hearing the Voice of God Topical Study
    • Repentance & Forgiveness Topical Study
    • Intercession Topical Study
    • Relationships Topical Study
    • Jesus is Lord Topical Study
    • The Father Heart of God Topical Study
    • Worship Topical Study
    • Missions Topical Study
    • God's Promises
    • Building a Healthy Marriage
    • Love God's Word
    • Purity
    • Love Topical Study
    • Hope
    • Bible Basics
  • Teaching Tools
    • How to Teach
    • Stories
  • Memorization
  • Videos
  • Contact
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

today's step

Your Daily Bible Devotional
CLICK HERE for ALL Categories

21/12/2018 0 Comments

Intimacy with God in Suffering

Picture
Where is God in your pain? It can seem that he is far away. But, he wants you to know something... Keep Reading.

PRAY

I am listening to You, Lord Jesus. Please speak. Thank you. Amen.

READ
Exodus 5:22 - 6:5 -  Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

​ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

REFLECT
The people of Israel were in pain. They had suffered for a long time. Moses was in pain, as he was being accused as the source of their suffering. Moses passed along the accusation to God. For God had promised deliverance, but all the Israelites knew was brutal injustice.

How did God respond to Moses' accusation? Yes, God had promised deliverance. But, it hadn't happened yet. Moses and his people were growing very impatient. Did God respond to them with impatience? Did he slap them down with his own accusations against their faithlessness?

No, God drew closer. He spoke his name "Yahweh" to Moses - a name that he had not fully revealed to Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. To them he called himself "El-Shaddai" (God Almighty). The revelation of the name, Yahweh, was a move of vulnerability by God. He wanted Moses to know his nearness, though it felt he was far away. The "I Am" was indeed present in the suffering of his people. And the "I Am" was there to save.

God did not remove himself from the suffering of his people. He knew that they needed him, first and foremost, in the midst of their suffering.

God is not the author of your pain and suffering. He comes to heal and deliver. He brings hope and the reminder of his promises. Yet between the promise and the deliverance, the waiting can be so hard. He wants us to know greater intimacy with him during these very difficult times. He extends himself to us with great love and vulnerability.

Can you pick up on his nearness in your suffering... on the extension of his love toward you in the midst of pain? He is not far away. He is right beside you, and he desperately wants you to know that.

APPLY
Perhaps you would like to pray along with me:

Merciful Father, I don’t always feel You. Sometimes, it seems like You are against me, and You don’t care. I believe You are near. Show me Your closeness. Remind me of Your names. Between the promise and the deliverance, I want to draw close to You. I will not run away. I love you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
More on the Names of God
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    For iPhone
    Picture
    For Android (Chrome)
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All 10 Commandments Alertness Of Spirit Anger Anxiety Authority Beauty Calling Celebration Character Of God Church Contentment Courage Creation Dealing With Rejection Discipleship Dress Like Jesus Ephesians Evangelism Exodus Faith Father Heart Of God Fear Of Man Freedom In Christ Give Thanks Glory Of God God's Will Hearing God's Voice Holiness Holy Spirit Humility Hunger For God Identity Idolatry Insecurity Intercession In The Waiting James Jesus Jesus Is Coming Back Joy Justice Leadership Life Of Abraham Life Of David Life Of Isaac Life Of Jacob Life Of Joseph Life Of Moses Lordship Of Jesus Love Love Of God Loyalty Marriage Meeting With God Missions Names Of God Obedience Overcoming Fear Parenting Peace Prayer Promises Of God Psalms Purpose Questioning God Relationships Repentance Rest Revelation Romance Romans Salvation Sexual Purity Sin Spiritual Authority Spiritual Fitness Spiritual Warfare Suffering Temptation The Fear Of The Lord The Lying Tongue Thought Life Unbelief Where Is God Wisdom Word Of God Work Worship

    Cliff Wrener

    Missionary. Teacher. Worship Leader. Deeply desiring to make God's Word accessible and understandable to all.  May you be transformed as God's Word fills your life. 

    Categories

    All 10 Commandments Alertness Of Spirit Anger Anxiety Authority Beauty Calling Celebration Character Of God Church Contentment Courage Creation Dealing With Rejection Discipleship Dress Like Jesus Ephesians Evangelism Exodus Faith Father Heart Of God Fear Of Man Freedom In Christ Give Thanks Glory Of God God's Will Hearing God's Voice Holiness Holy Spirit Humility Hunger For God Identity Idolatry Insecurity Intercession In The Waiting James Jesus Jesus Is Coming Back Joy Justice Leadership Life Of Abraham Life Of David Life Of Isaac Life Of Jacob Life Of Joseph Life Of Moses Lordship Of Jesus Love Love Of God Loyalty Marriage Meeting With God Missions Names Of God Obedience Overcoming Fear Parenting Peace Prayer Promises Of God Psalms Purpose Questioning God Relationships Repentance Rest Revelation Romance Romans Salvation Sexual Purity Sin Spiritual Authority Spiritual Fitness Spiritual Warfare Suffering Temptation The Fear Of The Lord The Lying Tongue Thought Life Unbelief Where Is God Wisdom Word Of God Work Worship

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018

    RSS Feed

HOME | ABOUT | TODAY'S STEP | 
DEVOTIONALS | TOPICAL STUDY | TEACHING | BIBLE STUDIES | VIDEOS | ​MEMORIZATION |
CONTACT

© 2022 stepstudyteach.com 
​All Rights Reserved.
You are encouraged to use this content for personal devotions, small groups and church groups. It may not be re-published or sold at any time.