“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known” (Exodus 2:14).
TEXT — Exodus 2:11-14
Message
In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency (NSA), leaked classified information, revealing the extent of global surveillance programmes conducted by the American government and other nations. Snowden believed that the public had a right to know about the widespread and intrusive surveillance that was being conducted without their knowledge or consent. He intended to expose what he saw as serious violations of privacy and civil liberties.
Instead of going through official whistle-blower channels within the government, Snowden chose to leak classified documents to journalists and flee the country. For this action, he was charged under the Espionage Act, resulting in severe legal repercussions. Snowden has lived in exile in Russia since 2013, unable to return to the United States without facing prosecution. His actions sparked a global debate about privacy and surveillance and left him isolated and separated from his home country.
Moses grew up in the house of the Pharaoh of Egypt, assuming himself as an Egyptian prince. But when he came to the realisation that he was a Jew, and his kinsmen were enslaved in Egypt, he started thinking about fighting the oppressive powers of Egypt in the hope of securing freedom for his marginalised race. His motive was noble, doubtless. However, his strategy of killing an Egyptian was illegal and inappropriate. Rather than advancing his objective of freeing the Jews from slavery, it extended it, and eventually, drove him into exile that would last the third part of his life.
This is comparable to seeking to attain righteousness through penitential activities, works of charity, or isolation in a religious institution. Although these may earn human commendation and respect, they are ineffectual in securing freedom from the depravity of the heart. Every sinner must adopt the right strategy – repent from dead works and accept Jesus as his or her personal Saviour! Jesus alone holds the authority to redeem souls from the bondage of sin and Satan.
However right, good, and legitimate our actions may be, they will backfire if we fail to adopt the right approach and strategy. The Bible admonishes that we must not allow our good to be evil spoken of. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Let us always seek divine guidance before we jump into action.
Thought for the day
Only the way of the cross leads ‘home’; there are no shortcuts.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
1 comment
The daily manner is such an inspiration that it precisely set the tone for my day’s activities in the morning. I wholeheartedly recommend it to every believer who desires growth and guidance in this intricately bewildering world.
The daily manner is such an inspiration that it precisely set the tone for my day’s activities in the morning. I wholeheartedly recommend it to every believer who desires growth and guidance in this intricately bewildering world.