Tim’s Daily Bread Devotional 1.11.22

By January 11, 2022Daily Bread

Good morning!

I hope this day finds you and your family well. I invite you to take a few moments with me to read and reflect upon today’s scripture selection — and to carry these thoughts with you into your day.

Today’s Scripture:  Exodus 14:15-22 

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”

19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

Tim’s Devotional Reflection for Today

When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, freedom must have seemed an impossibility. The sea was an insurmountable obstacle, and yet God made a way for them to pass through it and move forward.

A number of years ago I was on a mission trip to Kenya with other members of the church. I was standing near the church where we were holding a Vacation Bible School for the children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic with a guitar in my hand.

A youth named Charles saw me there with the guitar and came over to ask me if I knew a certain song.

I did.

Before I played and he sang it, Charles told me his story and why that song meant to much to him. Both of Charles’ parents died from AIDS when he was eleven years old, and he was sent to live with an uncle.

That uncle was abusive and did not want to share his resources — especially any inheritance he might have from Charles’s parents. The uncle banished Charles from his home, first to the toilet, where Charles had to sleep at night in order to have some shelter.

It was in that grim situation that Charles prayed for help. Almost like hearing a voice, the words came to him that God would make a way for him.

After a couple of weeks Charles was forced to leave his uncle’s home entirely.  He then found his way to the home of a kindly woman who was a member of the Methodist church in that village, and she took him in to care for him.

It was in that church that he learned the song that he sang with me that day.  I’ll never forget Charles and the way he sang that great song of faith:

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way.

He works in ways we cannot see.

He will make a way for me.

He will be my guide,

Hold me closely to His side.

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way,

God will make a way.

That good Methodist woman who took Charles in was part of God making a way.  The work of our church in partnership with the Methodist Church of Kenya was part of God making a way for those children who were orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.

How is God making a way for you today?

How is God using you to make a way for someone who can’t see a way?

Hymn Suggestion

“He Leadeth Me”

He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
by his own hand he leadeth me;
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
by waters still, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis his hand that leadeth me.

Refrain

Lord, I would place my hand in thine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

Refrain

And when my task on earth is done,
when by thy grace the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Refrain

Thank you for sharing this moment of your day with me, with God, and with these reflections on a portion of scripture.  I hope you will carry these with you throughout your day and night.

Grace and Peace,


Dr. Tim Bruster
Senior Pastor