Exodus Chapter verse 8 (NIV)
Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us.”
Exodus Chapter 1 verses 12-13 (NIV)
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.
It had been many years since the time of Joseph, and so his role in saving Egypt had long passed from living memory, so the place of the Israelites in Egypt was not appreciated by the current Pharaoh. Sometimes we have even shorter memories and forget about all that God has done in our lives and in the lives of others. People who may have witnessed mighty moves of God can still forget all that He has done. It’s important for us to remember and also to pass it on to those who come along after us so that we and they are always aware of the goodness and greatness of God,
Sometimes people feel convicted by our witness and by the presence of God in our lives and that can result in them being afraid or aggressive towards us. We should not take it personally but rather not let it get to us, continue our walk with God, even if people make it difficult for us. It may be that God is having an impact on their lives and they are trying to resist it. That’s the very time we should hunker down and pray on!
Dear Lord,
May Your goodness to me and the remembrance of all You have done never be far from my heart and mind. Let Your praise always be on my lips even if people make things difficult. Help me to pray for those who make their dislike obvious. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.