Pain or Promise?

READ – “Pharaoh returned to his palace and put the whole thing out of his mind.” Exodus 7:23 NLT

EXAMINE – The LORD had created the perfect storm to prove His power so that everyone (Jews and Egyptians) would know Him even better (Exodus 6:2-5). The LORD would keep His promise and the covenant that He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob. The LORD would show His power and bring judgment against the Egyptians so that they would even know that only the LORD is God (Exodus 7:4-5). Moses and Aaron performed the first of the ten plagues against the Nile River, turning its water and water everywhere including inside their homes into blood (Exodus 7:14-21). The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River, and it was an important aspect of their economy and life (i.e., their wealth and health).

APPLY – How could Pharaoh ignore the obvious? How could he just return to business as usual and put everything out of his mind? How could the world spend the last two years in a pandemic and still not put the LORD on their mind? Promise or Pain? Do we want to know better the promises of God or feel greater pain from God? Will we ignore the obvious? Or will we say, “Yes!” to the demands and commands of God?

PRAY – Father God, You have placed a lot on our hearts and minds in the first five days of this New Year. Forgive us of our stubbornness and heal us of complacency. Help the world to say, “Yes!” to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!