May 26, 2017
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Reading along with us in Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 10 (ESV)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
3 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, 6 and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh… Continue Reading
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Hardened heart over and over and over
Hard.
Pharaoh continues to try to negotiate terms in this chapter, trying to get the Jews to leave something behind that would assure they would come back, Pharaoh also does what is typical of people. He makes a promise to let the Jews go while in the midst of the plague (hard time) and then he takes it back once the plague is halted. May that not characterize our interaction with God, in spite of the temptation to do that very thing!
God tells Moses why He is hardening not only Pharaoh’s heart, but the hearts of his servants: “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 10:1-2)
Pharaoh is struggling here, wanting relief from the plagues, but not wanting to do the one thing that will bring relief! I think of all the people who want relief from the looming promise of death, judgment and even hell, but don’t want to bow their knee to God and place all their faith in Christ in return for eternal life with Him.
Or people who see the joy, peace, and strength we have as we go through trials, and want THAT, but don’t want to come through Christ to have it, preferring to suffer and hope for the best.
People with hardened hearts, locked in a struggle between two competing desires that wage war in their souls. So they hope we’re wrong, and they roll the dice…with their very lives as collateral for the wager. Pharaoh.
But even after we’ve submitted ourselves to God and received Christ, many of us continue to do the same, don’t we? We want all the promises of the abundant life Jesus offers us NOW in our relationship with God, but we’re not willing to do things His way to have it. We refuse to do what His Word says in this area or that, or even in most. And then we complain and get frustrated and discouraged by the results! We settle for a crippled way of life in Christ, just limping along, refusing to submit any more of ourselves than we have to, and never enjoying all the gifts God has waiting for us on this side of eternity.
Such a stubborn people we are! More donkeys than sheep!
Heavenly Father, thank you for not blessing me without my doing what you ask of me first. Thank you for lovingly disciplining me so I learn to do things your way, rather than mine. The intimacy and relationship I enjoy with you when I choose to obey you not only blesses me, but brings you glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.