by Wesley Blackburn
Wow.
That's all I can really say after reading this passage for today. Part of me wishes that I could have been in Egypt to see all that God did in the land, but a big part of me is glad that I wasn't... all the death and destruction happening in the land very well could have scared me to death!
The account of God's work in Egypt becomes even more amazing when you know the whole cultural milieu of the time as well. Each and every one of these miracles served as a direct insult to an Egyptian god. Seemingly, with each additional miracle, God was saying to the Egyptians, "Look how much bigger, stronger, and better I am than the stupid gods you worship."
No doubt, this is what part of what put Pharaoh so on edge in this story (in addition to the simple fact that he saw his kingdom crumbling all around him). I mean, imagine how angry you'd get with someone if they continually attacked your God, your way of living and worshipping. It's no wonder that Pharaoh continued to grow stubborn. That's not an excuse for Pharaoh, but simply one simple man's observation.
And the story of the Ten Plagues makes me think about my heart in respect to how it pertains to God. Is the work of God being done all around me and I don't even notice it? Or even worse, is the work of God being displayed all around me and I refuse to notice it? We all have a "God box;" a way that we view and see God. For some, this just means we don't believe in God at all. For others, it means that we believe in God, but only think He can work in pre-defined, particular ways. Pharaoh was being hit with something that was outside his "God box" (namely, that he was wrong about who God was/is); I wonder sometimes if I harden my heart and refuse to embrace the undeniable and unexplainable presence and power of God in my life.
One thing's for sure... things are set up for God to do some of His greatest acts yet. Stay tuned!
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