Daily Readings - Thu Jul 17 2025
Exodus
13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.16Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.18And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.19And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.20And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound moments of divine encounter and invitation. In Exodus, Moses experiences a pivotal moment with God in the burning bush, where he is commissioned to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God reveals His name as "I AM WHO AM," a declaration of His eternal presence and power. This encounter is not just a call to action but a revelation of God's nature—ever-present and actively involved in the lives of His people. Moses, though initially hesitant, is assured of God's mighty hand that will see the Israelites through their captivity.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus extends an invitation to all who are weary and burdened, promising rest and refreshment. He invites us to take His yoke, emphasizing that it is easy and His burden light. This invitation is rooted in Jesus' humility and meekness, offering a different kind of leadership—one of service and compassion rather than oppression.
These readings beautifully intertwine the themes of divine call and rest. In Exodus, God's call to Moses is a call to trust in His power and presence, even in the face of daunting tasks. In Matthew, Jesus' invitation is a call to surrender our burdens, finding rest in Him. Together, they remind us that our strength comes not from ourselves but from God. In our daily lives, when faced with challenges, we are called to trust in God's plan and seek rest in Jesus. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God's presence and promises, and surrender our burdens to Him, finding rest and strength in His will.