Lets be real

​Scripture:   Exodus 10:16-17  “16 Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.””  (ESV)

Observations:   We have the glorious Resurrection of Jesus in Luke!  Then there is the walk Jesus took with the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.  Of course the finale of Luke is the picture of Jesus rising bodily up to heaven from where he will someday return.  In Exodus we have all but the final plague (though we have the build up to it).   There was the death of Egyptian livestock, boils, hail locusts and darkness.  At one point, Pharaoh shows weakness (I’ll be telling that in the Application), but still he is hardened and will not listen to God’s conditions.

Application: This passage bothered me because it reminded me of so many people I have known.  Jesus told his followers they should count the cost before becoming a follower.  Obviously Pharaoh didn’t take time to count the cost because it says he ‘hastily’ called Moses and Aaron.  What he did reminds me of how people act when there is a tragedy today (remember 9-11?).  Confession, pleading, but no repenting.  If we are really sorry for our sins, we will turn away from them.  The other thing Pharaoh did was to put a time stamp on this event.  “only this once”.  He didn’t really think he would need God after the plague was removed from him.  He was USING God just as I’ve watched many people do today.

​Prayer:  Lord, help us to be real.  Help us to be sincere.  When we come to you asking forgiveness, convict us of repentance.  Don’t let us be lukewarm, but guide us into the deep heat.  Amen
Tomorrow’s Reading:   Exodus 12-13; Psalm 21; Acts 1