Observation and Obedience: Our verse today falls right smack dab in the middle of the plagues that were inflicted upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians as God was pressing into His plan to free His people so they could worship Him. God was about the business of proving there is NONE like Him in all the earth. He was going to make a name for himself and it would be proclaimed forever and for always to all people.
So how does this apply to us today? What hidden gem can we mine in this verse?
The first thing that is impressed upon me is that there is no limit to what God will do to carry out His plan of bringing freedom to His people. He would turn the water of the Nile into blood, infest lives and homes with frogs, gnats, flies and locusts. He would inflict disease on all the livestock and boils on the people. He would send hail, darkness you could touch and death to the first born. Now, I think you could say….. God meant business!!! Those were some scary days. And the Hebrew people had front row seats.
You can count on the fact that there is always a plan for what God is allowing. His plan hasn’t changed. He wants to show His power and His love for you and through you, so that ALL will come to KNOW and Worship Him for who He is.
Our response to His plan is what He’s after. God is looking to rid us of our fear, anxiety, need for control, selfishness, pride and our poisoned hearts of unforgiveness; you could call these the plagues of our day. He wants to bring us into freedom. The freedom of living loved, worshiping with thankful hearts and trusting in Him ONLY.
God uses the hard, dark, ugly times because those are the times we recognize our NEED for Him and He can show up BIG! When we surrender to His will, recognize our complete helplessness to fix our messes, right our wrongs or make it on our own……He’s there. He’s closer than we can imagine. All that is required of us is to hit our knees, cry out and fall into His arms of Love, ever thankful that we have Him there to catch us.
Thankful you say……YES, Thankful. For It is also in the hard, dark, ugly times that the world (family, friends and acquaintances) watches us and will see what God is going to do with these broken parts of our lives. And God says it right here, He wants to use you in those times “to show in you My power so that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.” He wants them to see your heart for Jesus. It is your thankful heart that will build trust in His plan, for you, and for those who are watching you. It is your trust in the hard times that proclaims to the world that there is always enough God! My life needs to speak my beliefs.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for your unfailing love, which is the foundation of YOUR plan for my life. Thank You that my trust in You will unwrap all you have intended for me. Thank You that even in the times that I can’t see your hand, I can still see Your Heart when I seek to count Your gifts and recognize the blessings of Your Love. You have asked me to be thankful in all things and at all times. And it is because a thankful life builds trust and defeats fear. Jesus taught us that thanksgiving always precedes the miracle. Lord help me to live out your miracle for all to see. In Jesus Name. Amen
Encouragement: Consider it a sheer GIFT, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4 MSG And what did your momma teach you to say when someone gives you a gift? THANK YOU.
Personal Note: I want to thank my dear cousin, Tonia, for pushing me out of my comfort zone behind the camera and into the devotional writing arena. It has forced me to seek God in new ways, listen closely to His promptings and Trust He will be glorified despite my attempt. I look forward to seeing what God has to say through Tonia over the next couple of months and can’t wait to see her photography skills blossom!! ;p (kidding)
I do miss her so. But I am so blessed for the time and intimacy we shared through our journey. Love, Sharon
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