2621) One of the many things the Bible College I attended (a shout out to Columbia Bible College – now known as Columbia International University) was giving its scholars experience.

Throughout the entire program, the university requires all students to complete the “Christian Service” requirement. The program assigned us weekly work outside the university where we could serve and minister in areas relevant to our future careers after graduation.

While there, they assigned me to teach Bible in a nursing home, a Christian school, and an inner-city Sunday school.

What I particularly liked about this added requirement is it gave me (and everyone else) a chance to experience different ministries to see if it was a true “fit” for me. This experience was very practical.

When considering Exodus 5:1-2, Moses, once again, asks Pharaoh to, let my people go. And Pharaoh says, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.  (ESV)

The word in the Hebrew for “know” is yada. This Hebrew word can be translated into many things and one of them is, experience.

So, what Pharaoh is saying is, I do not have any experience with this God of yours. The irony of this statement is that Pharaoh will soon have a life-altering experience with God when he loses his firstborn son.

These thoughts remind me of the need for ministry to all people because if they do not have any experience with God, they will one day, at the Great White Throne. We should use our experiences to help others to “know” God before it’s too late.