Quiet Hearts in the Chaos

"Then Moses told his father-in-law all that Jehovah had done...And Jethro said...Now I know that Jehovah is greater than all gods..." When was the last time you told an unbeliever all that Jehovah has done? I will be honest.  This was a convicting and difficult post for me to write. The Lord has been working on my heart about this very thing; and when I read this chapter, this account seemed to leap off the pages. The children of Israel had just seen the power of God displayed over and over again.  The plagues ravished Egypt, yet God protected them.  The Red Sea parted before their very eyes, and they crossed on DRY land.  The pillar and cloud guided them and shielded them.  The walls of water swallowed the Egyptian army.  Manna fell from heaven in abundance and sustained them.  God Almighty had delivered them!  So when Moses saw Jethro, the natural thing for him to do was to share all that God had done. Now, pay close attention to Jethro'...

Have you ever received "help" from a well-meaning individual that wasn't helpful at all?  It may have been in the form of advice.  It may have been a verse on a card or a visit to your home. People have many reasons for reaching out to help.  I like to hope that motivations are pure and that there truly is a desire to aid in the problem at hand.  However, we know that is not always the case.  People sometimes reach out because of guilt or a sense of obligation.  People reach out to feel good about themselves.  People reach out to gain favor.  People reach out to fulfill a need within their own lives.  Unfortunately, no matter why people reach out, they sometimes do it wrong.    Job's friends got it wrong. In Job 42, the Lord rebukes Job's friends.  How did they get to the point of rebuke from the Almighty? Things had started out great; they had shown up.  Then, however, they opened their mouths.  What came out was...