This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1). Read on Shabbat, January 10, 2026 / 20 Tevet 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.
“These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household” (Exodus 1:1).
The book of Exodus begins by naming the people of Israel. Though generations have passed and circumstances have changed, God remembers them by name. What starts as a list of families soon turns into a story of growth, oppression, and suffering. The Israelites multiply, and fear grips the Egyptians. Slavery replaces hospitality, and harsh labor becomes daily life. Yet even in affliction, God’s promise continues to unfold.
Parashat Shemot reminds us that God’s purposes are often advancing quietly beneath visible hardship. The cries of the people rise from the brick pits to heaven, and God hears them. At the same time, God begins to prepare deliverance through unexpected means. Women such as Shiphrah, Puah, Jochebed, and Miriam act with courage and compassion. A child is hidden, saved, and drawn from the water. Redemption begins not with power, but with faithfulness in small acts of obedience.
Moses grows up caught between two worlds. He knows both privilege and pain, belonging and exile. When he flees to Midian, it appears as though his calling has failed before it begins. Yet God meets him in the wilderness, where a burning bush reveals divine presence and holy purpose. God sees suffering, remembers His covenant, and declares His intention to rescue His people.
This portion speaks to seasons when life feels heavy or direction unclear. God is not absent in times of hardship. He is attentive to every cry and mindful of every name. Even when deliverance seems distant, God is already at work, shaping hearts, preparing leaders, and aligning events according to His timing. Faithfulness in obscurity becomes the soil from which freedom will grow.
Some may feel weighed down by circumstances that seem unchanging. Let this portion remind you that God sees and hears. Others may find themselves in positions where small choices carry great weight. Like the midwives of Egypt, acts of courage and integrity matter deeply to God. Every faithful response participates in His unfolding plan of redemption.
As this Shabbat arrives, take time to reflect on where God may be calling you to trust Him in unseen ways. Notice the quiet moments where obedience is possible. Speak gratitude for His presence, even when answers are not yet clear. Let your life testify that the God who calls His people by name remains faithful in every generation.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for knowing me by name and for hearing every cry of my heart. Teach me to trust You in seasons of waiting and to walk faithfully in small acts of obedience. May my life reflect confidence in Your presence and Your redeeming power. Amen.
Post a comment