MONDAY - 10TH JANUARY, 2022
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
AN IDLE HAND
READ Exodus 5:1-9
Exodus 5:7-9, KJV
"7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words".
There's a saying that, "an idle hand is the devil's workshop". Today's reading alludes to it very much. The appearance of Moses and Aaron and the relation of God's plan of deliverance to Israel made Israel worship God [Exodus 4:31]. The voices of the people, Moses and Aaron now appears before Pharaoh to tell him of the need to "let Israel go" because God has met with them and is asking for same. Pharaoh wouldn't bulge. He said, "He knew not the Lord". The spreading of God's news of deliverance to Israel is enough to awaken a dead soul. To this end, people rested from their work which Pharaoh through slavery makes them do. In Pharaoh's word, "why do Moses and Aaron make the people rest from their burdens?" Pharaoh could only resolve on the fact that Israel gave heed to Moses and Aaron's 'fable' because they had no enough work to do. So, that same day, he ordered that their work be made more bitter and that they shouldn't be given straw again for bricks but rather search for it themselves. To complicate the matter, he also said the number of daily output must not diminish.
"Straw" usually do serve as fodder for herbivorous animals. This straw is usually threshed and mixed with clay for plastering or to make sun dry bricks. Now, instead of being given already threshed straw for brick making, they're required to go find straw and then process it themselves. Is it not obvious that Israel would need more time to meet with his daily task if output must not decrease and their working hours increased?
This year, God wants you maintain focus. Indeed, lack of enough work makes people pay attention to tales, fables and news they shouldn't have paid attention to. It was the principle of enough work that makes a man busy all day that Pharaoh employs here. If you do know you have much in your front, you won't want to allow distraction. When Pharaoh increased the Israelites' daily task and the slave drivers demanded of them to catch up, you know all of them sat up though they still couldn't catch up. An increase in work means a reconsideration of what you give attention to.
Be hard on yourself. Humans by our make up have tendencies to be lazy, sloppy or sluggish. That's where the setting of hard laws over yourself comes in. That's the essence of the task masters and slave drivers set over Israel. When they're not meeting up, they're beaten to catch up. You too must put yourself under some hard and righteous restrictions if you won't be behind schedule in what is lined in front of you to do. Work is important and you must immediately find a job to engage in and give it all it takes to accomplish the day's task daily. As it concerns you, maintain your focus. Be busy enough so that you won't have spare time to be tempted or seduced into petty matters that are not life or concern to you just as Pharaoh considered here for the Israelites though he was wrong. May the hands bruised for your sake grant you great economic breakthrough as you work this year in Jesus name.
PRAYER: I receive wisdom to be disciplined and task myself for achievement.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Genesis 20:1-22:24, Matthew 7:15-29, Psalm 9:1-12, Proverbs 2:16-22
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