In Exodus 1:12, Moses records a history lesson for the children of Israel. They lived in slavery in Egypt, but continued to bear many children. Pharaoh was worried about this, so he increased the oppression and the work for the Israelite people. But his plan didn’t work. They continued to bear more children, to be more fruitful, to increase and grow. The oppression actually triggered more fruitfulness.
“The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread” (Ex. 1:12).
During this year of unemployment, God has been creative and mysterious in causing fruitfulness. Many people have told me how much this blog has meant to them – how it has reminded them to trust God for everything – how they have praised God for all the ways He has helped them. I’m so glad, so grateful that something good is coming out of this.
I also see God’s hand in my own life, to refine those places that might have become attracted to earthly comforts, to teach me more about trust and His faithfulness. When we have jobs and money in the bank, it’s easy to buy those extra things that comfort us – the pretty shoes, the colorful scarf, the chocolate sundae. But none of those temporary treats really satisfy. The shoes wear out, the scarf fades, the sundae leaves behind a sugar fog.
The only thing that matters is to find our satisfaction in the love of Christ and to let Him make us fruitful. If that includes some type of oppression, some hard place that is uncomfortable, then so be it. The more we are oppressed – if we let the Holy Spirit work through that oppression – the more we will multiply in godly traits and spread the good news of Jesus.
We can never become so focused on getting the job, making the money or doing the work that we forget the real reason we inhabit planet earth – to glorify God, to make disciples and to enjoy our faith walk forever.
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