April 13 - Exodus 5-8
“So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:22-23)
These verses capture one of the most honest and emotionally raw prayers in Scripture. It was a moment when Moses cries out: “LORD, why?” After obeying God’s call to confront Pharaoh, Moses expected deliverance to begin. Instead, conditions worsened for the Israelites. Their labor increased, their suffering deepened, and Moses himself became the target of their frustration.
This passage reveals that faithful obedience does not always lead to immediate visible success. Moses had done exactly what God commanded, yet the outcome seemed opposite of what was promised. His question: “Why have You brought trouble on this people?” reflects a tension that many believers experience. We often assume that following God will result in smooth progress, but Scripture consistently shows that God’s purposes unfold in ways that stretch human understanding. Moses expected liberation; instead, he encountered resistance. His expectation collided with God’s timing.
Importantly, Moses does not suppress his frustration. He brings it directly to God. This teaches a profound truth about prayer: God invites honest dialogue, not polished pretense. Moses’ words may sound accusatory, but they are rooted in relationship. He knows God well enough to ask hard questions. In doing so, he models a faith that wrestles rather than withdraws. True faith is not the absence of doubt or struggle; it is the willingness to bring those struggles to God.
Moses also asks, “Why is it You have sent me?” This question reveals a deeper insecurity. When circumstances deteriorate, we often begin to question our calling. Moses had stepped out in obedience, yet now he wonders if he misunderstood God altogether. This reflects a common human response: when results are delayed or difficult, we assume failure rather than trusting that God is still at work. However, God’s plans often include seasons where obedience seems fruitless, not because it is ineffective, but because it is preparatory.
Finally, Moses concludes, “You have not delivered Your people at all.” From his limited perspective, nothing had changed. Yet, unknown to Moses, God was about to act in a way far greater than he imagined. This moment stands at the threshold of the plagues and the eventual Exodus. It would be the defining act of deliverance in Israel’s history. What Moses perceived as divine inaction was actually the beginning of a larger unfolding plan.
This passage reminds us that questioning God is not rebellion, but often of faith seeking understanding. It teaches that obedience may lead through difficulty before it leads to deliverance. It reassures us that God is not threatened by our questions, and that His silence or delay does not equal absence. Like Moses, we are invited to bring our confusion honestly before God, trusting that even when we cannot see His hand, He is faithfully working according to His greater purpose.