There's more than 1 way to learn a lesson....

Exodus 12-14.

If I was an Egyptian in this story, I would have jumped ship a few chapters ago...

So Pharaoh chose the hard way. He continued his pursuit of his own authority and power and his denial of God's authority and power. So God had to go big. As if the plagues weren't (big). So the Passover happens. Death. What is more tragic than losing a loved one? Every Egyptian family lost one. So Pharaoh, finally, let God's people leave with whatever and whomever they wished.

Apparently... Pharaoh's wisdom was only temporary. He and some others slept on it, and decided they needed to go get the Israelites. REALLY?! Can you be that oblivious to the fact that these people are obviously being protected and fought for by someone who can KILL YOU? Someone who has killed your family? So they chase them. And the Israelites actually freak out. Also oblivious to the power of God. They start crying about how they'd rather be slaves than be dead and bla bla bla. Moses intervenes and tells them to just chill out and trust God. Either they actually do, or they don't and just shut up about it because that's the end of that.

God has a plan. He parts the sea, his people go through, the Egyptians follow, God puts the sea back, the Egyptians are dunzo. Can you imagine what it would be like to walk through the middle of a sea?? I am so psyched for heaven. I can't wait to hear about the experience from everyone who was there. Had to be so awesome. I wonder if a few children grabbed things from the sea floor as they ran through or if they were just terrified.

Things I learned:
- Pharaoh is a bad influence
- Don't mess with God
- God will protect his people

Hit me with your best shot

So now that it has been almost forever since I blogged on here...I am picking up where I left off in reading through the Bible....

Exodus 9-11

So now we read about the next 6 plagues.

Pharoah, Pharoah, Pharoah. The story of the plagues is like one of those movies. You know the one, where you know the characters aren't going to make the right choice, but you are on the edge of your seat telling them out loud what they should do. Ha ha ha. Part of me is telling Pharoah "Come on, man. Really?! Like give it up!" and part of me is so psyched that God has created this opportunity to really show us who He is and what He's got. I so wish I could interview Pharoah. "So, Pharoah, your readers are dying to know-what were you thinking?!". Was he putting up a front and going to bed terrified of what God would do next? Was he just wanting to see what God could do? Was he just convinced that God wouldn't go as far as He ended up going? Man. I have a killer curiosity, I want the details, details, details! Dead livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and a preview of death. I want to know what the Egyptians are eating at this point. The locusts took everything and they have no meat. Mud Pies? Rock-sickle? Locust poo? (hahaha). And I wonder what excuse the sorcerers had for not being able to get rid of their boils? Did they call in sick? "Yes Pharoah we heard everyone has boils...no sir we won't be able to get rid of yours....well we're actually coughcough sick coughcough".

Proverbs 1:20-33

What a perfect section of verses to accompany Exodus right now.

This is wisdom speaking...

"What if catastrophe strikes and there's nothing to show for your life but rubble and ashes? You'll need me then. You'll call for me, but don't expect an asnwer....Because you hated knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God"

So we have it. Pharoahs (obvious) problem, he wasn't scared of God. I'd say that about sums up what's wrong with our world today. We want love but we don't want it to be powerful. We want change but we don't want to give up our addictions. We want help but we don't want commitment. We like the idea of something bigger than us, holding everything together...you know something... "spiritual". But we don't think we should have to be scared of it. It should just be there to make the stars and mountains beautiful and keep karma going. God is so much more.