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For if you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they live. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I the Lord am in this land. Thus I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign shall appear tomorrow.' " The Lord did so, and great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into his officials' houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God within the land." But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so; for the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God are offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us? We must go a three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he commands us." So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me." Then Moses said, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; only do not let Pharaoh again deal falsely by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord." So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. And the Lord did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and would not let the people go. (Exodus 8: 21-32)
May this be a Fabulous Friday for you dear Friend! I pray the blessings of the Lord guide you this day and all days. This is another of those Bible Stories You Should Know!
If you're an outdoorsy person you know the joys of gnats and flies. If you're not an outdoorsy person I can guess why. There has never been perfect, bug-free weather for a picnic as far as I can guess for most of you. The aroma of food and human flesh attract the species created to wreck the joy out of outdoor events such as picnics and barbecues. But, imagine a plaque of gnats and flies? These were the plagues that Moses was told by God would come upon the Egyptians if Pharaoh did not authorize the Hebrews request for a 3-day journey into the wilderness to worship their God. The swarm of gnats didn't do the job, but when it came to the flies, that seemed to do the trick. Especially when Pharaoh saw the Goshen, where the Hebrew slaves lived, was an area free of flies, and as we read in the passage, Pharaoh decided that that was enough. Notice he gave permission for the Hebrews to leave Egypt for a three-day journey into the wilderness, but then changed his mind; game still on.
Sometimes something that we need does not happen immediately or even as soon as we would like. This was the case with the desired freedom from slavery. The heart of Pharaoh would Harden as the Bible describes it. Sometimes it's our own heart that hardens and we decide not to risk what we know we need to do to flee an addiction or to receive freedom from something that is holding us down. And this is true even with God offering us help and assistance. You can imagine how difficult it was for Moses to hear again and again, the word he did not want to hear, "No!" He persevered again and again. As should you and me.
PRAYER: Loving Father, You know what it is that is holding us back, please be at work in us to help us. If it is something beyond our control, please help us overcome and gain that which is from You for our own good and benefit. Grant us strength and peace in the meantime. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Seek to be free from that which can kill, steal, and destroy. Christ came to bring us life, and that to the fullest!
Eradio Valverde
