Today’s Reading Exodus 7-9
Focal Scripture: Exodus 9:30 “But as for you and your officials, I know that you still do not fear the LORD God.”
What would it take for you to fear the LORD? You would think after several miraculous signs that your attention would be given to the one who allowed those signs to happen. Unfortunately, some people have a very difficult time with surrender.
In the readings today we are told that Moses is to go to Pharaoh and tell him “let the Hebrews go so they can go worship me.” If he doesn’t he knows that a plague will come to him, his city, and the land. Every time Pharoah refuses to let the people go sacrifice to the LORD. There are a few instances were Pharoah is deceitful and says he will let them go. Then he changes his mind. He does this even knowing what is going to happen to him, his land, and his people.
Pharaoh had a hard heart. Even when he knew the right choice, he still chose to pick pain. Pharaoh did not have a fear of the LORD. Pharaoh worshiped himself. Pharaoh kept sinning and hardening his heart. He kept missing what the LORD was trying to teach him.
You may be asking “What was the LORD trying to teach?” He was teaching the Isralities and Pharaoh that he was worthy of worship. That listening to his instruction is not optional and if you do make it optional it comes at a cost. The LORD must have our priority in all things but especially in what we worship.
Observing people over the years I have seen that we worship many things. Ourselves, children, sports teams and education to just name a few. In christian circles I have noticed that music itself often gets worshiped. It can become an obstacle to the reason one is supposed to worship. Worship is to bring glory to God and God alone. It is a healthy fear of who God is and what he is capable of doing.
Sometimes, people get to comfortable with God. They lose the healthy fear that one should have of the LORD in life and when it comes to worship. I challenge you today to consider these questions.
- Why do you worship?
- When you worship is it focused on the act of worship or on the LORD?
- When it comes to music are you more focused on the song or to whom the song is supposed to be sung to?
- When it comes to messages/sermons, who is the main focus or who does the message lead you to at its conclusion?
If you do not have a healthy fear of the LORD today is a good day to start. After all Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge”, I think it is time that we start gaining more knowledge of God and not harden our hearts like Pharoah.
Tomorrow I plan on reading Exodus 10-12
