January 21 - Isn’t it Ironic?

 Read today’s texts first: Exodus 1& 2; Psalms 88; Luke 21

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Moses, Joshua and Caleb did more for God in their
80s than the 7 decades before - ironic, isn’t it?

Alanis Morissette’s song “Isn’t It Ironic?” should have included a verse on the life of Moses:

• Pharoah tries to stop the Israelites from rallying against him by having all the baby boys killed.    Meanwhile, his daughter rescues the one baby who would grow up to do just that!
• The name “Moses,” which in Egyptian means “is born,”  has the same root as the Pharoah at that time, Ahmose, and the ones to follow, Thutmose and Ramses.
• The Hebrew derivative of his name means “drew him out”, which refers to his rescue from the Nile.  The irony is that he was saved out of the water by Pharoah’s daughter, but later he would lead Pharoah’s armies to their death by going back into the water, the Red Sea.
• The woman Pharoah’s daughter chose to nurse Moses and take care of him through his early childhood was none other than Moses’s real mother, and she got paid by Pharoah to raise him!
• When Moses was at an age to actually help his people (around 40), he killed an Egyptian who was beating up a fellow Hebrew.  This led to him being ostracized by both the Egyptians and the Hebrews.  The one who was destined to lead the Israelites out of Egypt no longer had influence with either group.
• He wound up living another 40 years in obscurity in a foreign land (Midian), an ignominious shepherd.  This is God’s idea of a training program for future leaders?

Of course the ironies will continue as the story unfolds.  Moses will realize his destiny, but not in the way anyone could have predicted, except God of course!  Luke 21, with its incredibly detailed prophecies of the last days, reminds me about how trustworthy Jesus is when it comes to the future.  His thoughts and His plans are so far beyond our comprehension.  Like a jigsaw puzzle, we get these random pieces of the puzzle and occasional glimpses of the box cover.   But we really have no idea how our life is going to take shape until years later when the clusters of pieces start meshing together.

“Lord, some people think I’m getting too old - I know I did at times - but now I feel like I’m just hitting my stride.  Thank You that the pieces of my life are starting to make sense.  The picture that’s forming is entirely different than anyone expected, except You.  Ironic, isn’t it?”