On the Very Day

If you’re anything like me, you cherish those times when God highlights a verse that brings new insights.

Recently, fresh hope energized my faith while reading familiar passages in Exodus.

My heart filled with wonder as I celebrated along with the Israelites the magnificent displays of God’s power through the ten plagues. I applauded the courage of Moses as he walked out his calling to deliver God’s people from slavery while enduring criticism and doubt from all arenas.

I laughed in wonder at an odd moment, which occurred during the disgusting plague of the frogs, while the whole land is teeming with the hopping, slimy amphibians.

Here’s what happened:

Moses, instead of praying for the plague to be removed as he’s done in the past, tells Pharaoh he will give him the honor of deciding when the “froggie fiasco” should end. Then Pharaoh, exercising his newly bestowed power to actually choose the time of deliverance, boldly and emphatically declares “Tomorrow!”

Screeeech! What? Tomorrow?? Pharaoh’s strange and confusing use of his authority stops me in my tracks!

Tomorrow? Why not NOW?

I can’t help but laugh as I imagine the ensuing conversation that possibly took place with his wife. “WHAT were you thinking?? Frogs poison our food, crunch under our feet with every step and climb onto the faces of our children as they sleep and you want to wait until TOMORROW!!??”

What possible explanation could there be to delay relief?

Now, I don’t have any historical evidence to prove what I’m about to say, but here’s what I think:

Pharaoh’s entire empire was crumbling before his eyes. His authority as “god” over his people had been usurped by the All-Powerful and Sovereign God of the Israelites and he was absolutely powerless to do anything to stop the destruction.

I think Pharaoh was so desperate to appear in control during the chaos and devastation of his kingdom that he stubbornly refuses to humble himself and instead chooses to WAIT in suffering, although God was willing to provide relief on that VERY DAY.

I wonder how often we delay God’s rescue because we’re simply not willing to soften our hearts in submission to Him and humbly admit that we need divine, supernatural help and wisdom.

In His sovereign grace, God reminds us that He lovingly and carefully holds our past, present and future in His hands. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16)

When we feel powerless to affect change in our circumstances, let’s humbly call on the name of the Lord who promises to hear our cries and deliver us from all our troubles that we may receive rescue on a day He has already determined … on the very day.