7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent.
Moses has been deployed to a foreign country. He has left his wife and children with his father-in-law. They are reunited at last. We see this scene in the news, at least we did before the media got tired of soldiers defending our freedom. We saw the cheering families as soldiers come off the plane, the patriotic music and the tearful reunions. Following World War II there were parades with tickertape falling from the sky. Vietnam, it was rotten tomatoes and shame being hurled. Moses has followed the Lord’s lead. Following has led him back to his country of birth, back to a trail of difficulty and risk. He could have stayed with his wife and kids, but he chose to leave and follow the Lord. Now he has returned, probably over a year later. He has gone toe to toe with the ruler of Egypt, and he has won. He is leading a large group of slaves, unable to rule themselves, let alone set up a civil society. But Moses is welcomed back into his family with loving arms. The traditional food would have been served. Stories would have been told about what happened during the time apart. They would have spent time reconnecting. Notice the honor that Moses gives to his father-in-law. Moses’ heart is filled with gratitude and humility. His family has been kept safe, and now he gets to be with them again. I can feel the relief in that tent. Moses is home.
The Arnold Journey 