By the Strength of His Hand

Dave and Terri Legg

​On 5 November 1992, three officials from the Russian Ministry of Education asked Christian educators to join the CoMission—a group of over 80 Christian organizations formed to instruct Russian public school teachers how to teach Christian ethics. This unusual invitation originated from the JESUS Film Project’s efforts to show the JESUS film in Russia.[1]

Dave Legg was with The Navigators as part of the CoMission and shared the following true story with me. After presenting the JESUS film in each city, those who attended the viewing received Bibles. Dave’s friend, John, relayed that they ran out of Bibles in one of the cities.  While brainstorming what they should do, a Russian interpreter spoke up. “There is a KGB warehouse not far from here full of Bibles.” Courageously, they chose to approach the KGB to ask for those Bibles. The soldier guarding the warehouse received their request and went inside to ask if they could remove the boxes that filled the building.

With the KGB’s approval, the believers were told to take as many Bibles as they needed. So, from the warehouse, they began loading boxes in their truck. One of the interpreters grabbed a Bible from one of the boxes. During a break from loading, he found a spot on the ground and began reading it. John noticed that he was weeping. He asked him if he was okay. The interpreter shared that when he opened the Bible, it was his grandmother’s book with her name inscribed inside. It was the same Bible she’d read to him during his childhood.
           
Meditation
Exodus 13:14—“In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘By the strength of His hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.’”
 
In Exodus chapter 13 (vss. 3,9,14,16), Moses reminds the Israelites four times that their deliverance from Egypt occurred because of God’s strong hand. When a phrase is repeated in Scripture it means pay attention to what is written.  Israel was liberated only because of God’s power in freeing them—an important point to prevent pride from distorting their perspective in future generations.  
           
This week I had two hours of free time before a key meeting at Liberty University. While in the bookstore, I asked God, if He pleased, to connect me with someone He wanted me to meet. Within a minute of my prayer, a gentleman just happened to walk in who I had met the previous weekend in another city who was looking to partner with First Cause for leadership training in Africa. Every day, God saves lives for His glory by the strength of His hand. He wants to do amazing things with and through you.  Ask Him this week to use you by His strength to make a difference in His kingdom.
 
Inspiration
“What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His
power now.”—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest
 
©2025 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.     
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)

[1] https://www.eastwestreport.org/articles/ew08301.html