SELAH

Selah is a word used in the Old Testament that means to have an intentional and deliberate pause. In the Psalms, Selah was used when the reader or audience was invited to pause and reflect on what they had just sung. We have taken the word selah and used it as an acronym to help prepare our hearts as we approach God each day. Take some time to slowly walk through SELAH—Stop, Exhale, Lean-in, Ask, and Hear.

Stop

Before you read, take some time to stop and limit your distractions. Start by turning your phone to Do Not Disturb so you won’t receive notifications. Take some time to close your eyes and begin to prepare your heart for the transformation God wants to lead you in today.

Exhale

With your eyes closed, take several slow deep breaths. As you breathe in, invite God into your time with Him today and as you breathe out, exhale your stress, anxieties, worries, distractions, and sins. Make your breathing all about receiving Him and removing yourself.

Lean-In

As you continue to breathe, take a posture leaning forward. Today you want to lean in to what God wants to teach you and how He might want to transform you. As you lean forward, tell God that you are ready for any work He might want to do in or through you.

Ask

Now with your eyes closed, breathing slowly and leaned forward, ask God to transform you today. Your goal should be to live and love more like Jesus than you did yesterday. You need God’s help for this to be possible. He loves to help His children, but He is waiting for you to ask.

Hear

Now, stop & listen. Don’t continue talking, but give yourself time to hear from Him. He will speak to you today through worship, His Word, and the devotional you’re about to read. He is ready to speak. Are you ready to hear from Him?

It’s Not Only About You

Reflect

Before you begin reading, let’s recap what we've discovered so far. Moses was an Israelite man growing up in an Egyptian household. One day, he left the comfort of his home, saw the injustice inflicted upon his people, and decided to murder an Egyptian soldier. You would think something as serious as murder would be a good reason for God to use someone else, but that’s not the kind of God we serve. God uses ordinary, sinful people for His extraordinary purposes.

Reflect

Moses, like many of us, was a runner. Things got hard and he ran from the situation. Unwilling to face the consequences of his actions and afraid of what might happen to him, Moses traveled several hundred miles to the land of Midian. Was he waiting, hoping, and praying that he could just begin a new life? God’s grace would certainly provide Moses a fresh start, but God would also rescue His enslaved people through Moses.

Many times we want to leave our “old life” behind when we follow Jesus, not thinking about all of the people who have been wounded by the way we lived our old life. God offers you a fresh start, but God didn’t come only to rescue you. There are other people He deeply cares about who need His rescue. Take time today to write down the names of people in your life who God wants to rescue. How is He calling you to be part of His rescue plan?

Additional Reading Suggestions:

Read Ephesians 2:1-10.