EXODUS 5:4, 8

Then the king of Egypt said to them,”Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their

work? Get back to your labor.” “And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made

before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and

sacrifice to our God. ‘”

A church in Minnesota found itself in trouble with the courts. A family in the church who

faithfully tithed for years suddenly went bankrupt through no fault of their own. The bankruptcy

courts determined that all the money this family had tithed to the church during the previous year

should be returned to help settle outstanding debts.

The logic the court system followed was that the family had not received anything of value in

return for their gifts. The final outcome of this dispute will be years in the settling, but it reflects

an attitude that is common today: if our efforts do not result in a tangible product, they are of no

value.

Pharaoh felt the same way. His concern was producing bricks. Some identify the Pharaoh of

Moses’ time as Ramses II, who ruled for 66 years and built many towns, temples and

monuments. Whoever the Pharaoh of the Exodus was, he was concerned more with bricks and

mortar than with the spiritual life of his slaves.

The fact that the Israelites had time to think about spiritual matters indicated to him that they had

too much time on their hands. His solution was to give them more to do so they would have no

opportunity for such unproductive activities as worship.

Many people today see time spent in spiritual pursuits as a waste. They have no time for such

unproductive indulgences. Let us remember that man was created for fellowship with God.

He wants to spend intimate time with us. When we’re too busy for God, we’re busier than God

intended for us to be. Carve out some quality time to spend with God today.

TIME WITH GOD IS INVESTED—NOT SPENT.

WOODROW KROLL

www.backtothebible.in