
Thursday, February 25
Exodus 9:1-11:10
In today’s reading of Exodus 9:1-11:10, Moses comes to Pharaoh with more warnings as we see the plagues continue.
When my son was 6, we watched “The Prince of Egypt”. He was so fascinated by Pharaoh. He asked questions I couldn’t keep up with. “Pharaoh was a smart nice dad who loved Moses at the beginning of the movie. Why would he fight God? Why did he have slaves? Mom, he had everything he wanted. His house was so cool. Maybe he was powerful and didn’t think he needed God anymore.” Oof! Good job, kid!
Not only does Pharaoh personify a dynasty built on the backs of slaves; but when you look deeper into today’s reading, you’ll see he embodies human rebellion against God. He would not accept God’s authority.
Do you notice at this point of the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart shifts from being “unyielding”? He hardened his heart and would not humble himself before God. Yet we see he asked Moses for forgiveness. He verbalizes permission for God’s people to be set free…only to go back on his word again. Hearts are fickle; but after many interactions with Moses, Pharaoh seemed to pass the point of no return. It is interesting that at this point, God also hardens Pharaoh’s heart and allows the last few plagues, ‘bringing God’s full glory into view’.
Have you wrestled with this? Was this stubbornness orchestrated by Pharaoh or God hardening his heart?
Tim Mackie sums it up well by gently writing, “The fact that God can steer evil towards his purposes does not mean he engineered it. Even the most heinous and absurd forms of human evil are not a true threat to God’s purposes.”
These stories may seem antiquated and hard to relate to. Let’s explore with some questions:
-What does this quote look like for our generation?
-Do we choose to harden our hearts to certain truths or to God?
-What kind of spiritual path could hardening our hearts take us down?
-What could happen if we continue to reject God over and over?
Prayer: “Lord, may we not harden our hearts as we hear Your voice. May we keep our hearts tender for Your word, Your truths, and the hope we find in You. God, keep us close, deliver us from what our minds are enslaved to, and do not leave us to our own desires; even though we struggle stubbornly for them. Guide us today and let us contemplate these questions and the nature of our own hearts. It’s in your Son’s name we pray, Amen.”
Reflection by Dallis Meyer
Exodus 9:1-11:10
In today’s reading of Exodus 9:1-11:10, Moses comes to Pharaoh with more warnings as we see the plagues continue.
When my son was 6, we watched “The Prince of Egypt”. He was so fascinated by Pharaoh. He asked questions I couldn’t keep up with. “Pharaoh was a smart nice dad who loved Moses at the beginning of the movie. Why would he fight God? Why did he have slaves? Mom, he had everything he wanted. His house was so cool. Maybe he was powerful and didn’t think he needed God anymore.” Oof! Good job, kid!
Not only does Pharaoh personify a dynasty built on the backs of slaves; but when you look deeper into today’s reading, you’ll see he embodies human rebellion against God. He would not accept God’s authority.
Do you notice at this point of the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart shifts from being “unyielding”? He hardened his heart and would not humble himself before God. Yet we see he asked Moses for forgiveness. He verbalizes permission for God’s people to be set free…only to go back on his word again. Hearts are fickle; but after many interactions with Moses, Pharaoh seemed to pass the point of no return. It is interesting that at this point, God also hardens Pharaoh’s heart and allows the last few plagues, ‘bringing God’s full glory into view’.
Have you wrestled with this? Was this stubbornness orchestrated by Pharaoh or God hardening his heart?
Tim Mackie sums it up well by gently writing, “The fact that God can steer evil towards his purposes does not mean he engineered it. Even the most heinous and absurd forms of human evil are not a true threat to God’s purposes.”
These stories may seem antiquated and hard to relate to. Let’s explore with some questions:
-What does this quote look like for our generation?
-Do we choose to harden our hearts to certain truths or to God?
-What kind of spiritual path could hardening our hearts take us down?
-What could happen if we continue to reject God over and over?
Prayer: “Lord, may we not harden our hearts as we hear Your voice. May we keep our hearts tender for Your word, Your truths, and the hope we find in You. God, keep us close, deliver us from what our minds are enslaved to, and do not leave us to our own desires; even though we struggle stubbornly for them. Guide us today and let us contemplate these questions and the nature of our own hearts. It’s in your Son’s name we pray, Amen.”
Reflection by Dallis Meyer
Posted in Lent Devotional
Recent
Archive
2022
January
February
March
M-Note 3.1.22Lenten Devotional // Day 1Lenten Devotional // Day 2Luke: The Gospel For Rebels Week 5Lenten Devotional // Day 3Lenten Devotional // Day 4Lenten Devotional // First SundayLenten Devotional // Day 5Lenten Devotional // Day 6Lenten Devotional // Day 7Lenten Devotional // Day 8Lenten Devotional // Day 9Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 1Lenten Devotional // Day 10Some Assembly RequiredLenten Devotional // Second SundayLenten Devotional // Day 11Lenten Devotional // Day 12Lenten Devotional // Day 13Lenten Devotional // Day 14Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 2Lenten Devotional // Day 15Lenten Devotional // Day 16M-Note 3.20.22Lenten Devotional // Third SundayLenten Devotional // Day 17Lenten Devotional // Day 185 Benefits to Embracing Your Uncertainty of GodLenten Devotional // Day 19Lenten Devotional // Day 20M-Note 3.24.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 21Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 3Lenten Devotional // Day 22Lenten Devotional // Fourth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 23Lenten Devotional // Day 24Lenten Devotional // Day 25Lenten Devotional // Day 26
April
Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 4M-Note 4.1.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 273 Implications of God's Humanity on YoursLenten Devotional // Day 28Lenten Devotional // Fifth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 29Lenten Devotional // Day 30Lenten Devotional // Day 31Lenten Devotional // Day 32Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 53 Misunderstandings of Easter that Impact YouLenten Devotional // Day 33Lenten Devotional // Day 34Lenten Devotional // Palm SundayLenten Devotional // Day 35Lenten Devotional // Day 36Lenten Devotional // Day 37M-Note 4.14.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 38 Maundy ThusdayLenten Devotional // Day 39 Good FridayLenten Devotional // Day 40 Holy SaturdayLenten Devotional // EasterMysterious You: How your union with God makes you divineM-Note 4.20.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 14 Ways Embracing Your Sin Serves the WorldM-Note 4.28.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 2
2021
January
Categories
Tags
Belden Lane
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Confidence
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Frederick Buechner
God
Identity
Jesus
Kids
Longing
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Purpose
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Struggle
Success
Uncertainty
Weird
acts
creation
faith
forgiveness
forgiving
kelley weber
meister eckhart
redemption
sin
thomas merton
No Comments