“Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.’”
Exodus 18:17-18
I’ve had coffee with more friends than I can count who have been worn down from service to the Lord. There’s no question of their heart for Jesus, but they have lacked the ability to drink from the spiritual well of God’s presence and to grasp His grace. It was not by accident that this brief exchange between Moses and his father-in-law about this very thing is made available to us in the Bible.
Jethro was a good father-in-law. He cared about Moses and could see that Moses was carrying the load of service by himself. Jethro spoke a good and necessary personal word, reminding him that he need not bear on his own all the responsibility of leading God’s people.
What a welcoming, comforting message! We all would do well to apply those principles to our lives when we feel crushed under the weight of much service work. We can seek to guard quiet time with our Savior; we can delegate what needs to be done. But most importantly, we can embrace wholeheartedly Jesus’ words to us: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Jethro was a good father-in-law. He cared about Moses and could see that Moses was carrying the load of service by himself. Jethro spoke a good and necessary personal word, reminding him that he need not bear on his own all the responsibility of leading God’s people.
What a welcoming, comforting message! We all would do well to apply those principles to our lives when we feel crushed under the weight of much service work. We can seek to guard quiet time with our Savior; we can delegate what needs to be done. But most importantly, we can embrace wholeheartedly Jesus’ words to us: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Scripture Focus
Exodus 18:1-21
Insight
Like Moses, peace within our hearts to serve our Savior comes from being in close communion with Him.
Bible In A Year
- Ecclesiastes 5-6
- Psalm 65
- John 5