Everyone and Everything

Daily Reading: Exodus 10-11

Scripture Focus: “Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?” Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.” (Exodus 10.8b-9)

Devotional Thought: As Pharaoh felt the pressure of the plagues, his resistance to allowing the Israelites to go worship began to crack. He opened the door to Moses and asked, "Which ones are to go?" Pharaoh didn't want to allow the families to go with the men, but Moses didn't hesitate to answer the question: "Everyone!" And, not only was everyone to go, they were to take everything!

This is how we are to serve the Lord, with everyone and with everything.

Everyone. Are we doing all we can to ensure that both young and old are serving the Lord? A church is not 'complete' when a generation is missing. When planning our ministries we must include both. The old have something to teach the young, and the young have energy and excitement to share with the old. Too often we think it is an "either-or" situation, but it's not. Everyone must go and serve the Lord! Let's extend that kind of grace to the "other" generation!

Everything. Sometimes we try to compartmentalize our lives and say that certain things are "out-of-bounds" for God. Jesus did not paint that kind of picture for following him. God is not content to be pushed out of certain areas of our lives. As the old gospel song goes, "If He's not Lord of everything, then He's not Lord at all."

Satan will try to get you to question, "Which ones are to go?"- to convince you that you can draw limits around God. But remember, when it comes to serving the Lord, it is for "Everyone!" and demands our "Everything!"

Prayer: Father, forgive me when I try to hold things back from you. Help me to love you with all my heart and soul and mind and strength. Help me to love my neighbor as myself. Help me to serve you with everything and share you with everyone. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! 8 Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! 9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalms 57:6-11)