Exodus 7 - 12
In these chapters we read about the ten plagues the Lord brings upon Egypt because of Pharaoh's hardened heart. The Lord continually showed Pharaoh who he was up against through His messenger Moses, but His heart remained hard towards the Isrealites and would not let them leave the land. As I was reading this I was reminded of all the ways the Lord shows me how powerful He is, but yet I don't always choose the path that He or one of His "messengers" may be putting before me. Why? Why does my heart remain hard?
Why when the Lord changed the water to blood, brought frogs, gnats, flies, disease, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness did Pharaoh not soften his heart? What would I have done? If those things started happening today, I believe I would have no choice but to bow to the Lord, but Pharaoh believed he was not of the Lord and didn't need to do as He wished. That he was greater than God. That his status and belongings were more than the Lord to break through. It took death to the firstborn of all Egyptians for Pharaoh and his people to push the Isrealites out and allow them religious freedom (in a sense). Even today, we as humans can tend to believe we are greater than the Lords powers and grace. Why? Why are we a world of hardened hearts?
In a world where we teach our children instant gratification, it is no wonder we have grown a sense of entitlement. I recently had a friend in Army Basic Training and as soon as he was able to have a pen and paper, he was so excited to write letters because it was the only communication he was allowed to the outside world. But ask an average 8 year to write a letter and they look at you funny because why physically write a letter when there is email, texting, Facebook, etc. With all these instant forms of communication, buying, even "love" I believe we have developed a sense of entitlement. Having everything at our fingertips has made it difficult to believe that we cannot be "God". At a young age we learn that money is power. Whoever has the money has the power, has money replaced God in today's society? We believe that with the right amount of money we can have anything and/or even do anything and the right amount of money can fix the consequences. How do teach God's grace in this world? That it is God's grace that gets us through the endless judgement rather than the temporary. We are in a world where we are always trying to keep up with the Jones, we do not see all we have nor do we appreciate what we have. How do you teach God's grace? Are we to a place where we need the plagues that came upon Egypt to come upon us too?
I pray for the knowledge and strength to know my material belongings are not greater than God's grace and that it is by the grace of God I am able to even procure these material items. Let me truly appreciate the things I have and not focus on the things I don't and know that God is omni-powerful and behave in such a manner!
