It wasn't easy for the nation of Israel to leave slavery in Egypt. God used Moses to lead the people away from Egypt through the ten plagues He inflicted upon the people of Egypt. God blanketed Egypt with darkness and turned water into blood. He brought frogs, gnats, hail, and locusts and killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home. Each plague represented the Egyptian gods, and God proved to Pharoah that He was greater than any other gods of Egypt. The people of Egypt had enough of God's plague that they begged the Israelites to leave their land. As the Israelites left Egypt, the Egyptians gave them silver and gold to bless them. Psalm 105:37-38 says, "The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly." When God wanted the Israelites to leave Egypt, Pharoah couldn't do anything about it. No matter how stubborn Pharaoh was, he finally surrendered to God's demand.
One of the lessons that we can learn from this story is that God always wins in the end. Pharoah did not want to obey God, but the more he disobeyed God, the more he suffered. And the sad part of his disobedience is that the people of Egypt suffered tremendously. His arrogance against God left the entire Egypt ruined and devastated by losing their firstborn sons. We can also be Pharoah when we are not willing to submit to God. We cannot expect to live in peace when we are in rebellion against God. The more we rebel against God, the more we suffer. The only way to live in peace is to align ourselves with God and find peace and strength in our lives. Franklin Graham, the son of late Evangelist Billy Graham and the CEO of Samaritan's Purse, was once a rebellious son. While his father traveled from city to city and country to country to preach the gospel, Franklin embraced a rebellious life. In his rebellion, he lost his sense of purpose. It was only when he surrendered his life to our Lord Jesus that he found the true meaning of life. Today, God is using Franklin to touch millions of people who are suffering through the Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.
The only way to live life to the fullest is through obedience to God. Disobedience may lead us to fulfill our sinful desires, but in the end, it will only lead to despair and disappointment. Ultimately, God's ways will win.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Am I in rebellion against God at this moment? What are the things that I need to do to obey God? What happens when I choose to obey God?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for encouraging me this morning to align my life with your ways and not rebel. Please forgive me if I haven't been walking in your way and insisting on my ways. I acknowledge that your ways are the only ways that can bring life into me. Please change my heart and make me obedient to you. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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