Wednesday, Sept. 18
Exodus 9:1 – 10:29 Read it here
As the plagues continue, God distinguishes between the Egyptians and the Hebrews, sparing the Hebrews from the effects of some plagues. This is an act of mercy toward his own people, and also emphasizes to the Egyptians that the people they enslave have his particular favor.
Despite this, Pharaoh continues to refuse to let the people go.
At times, though, he seems to recognize his sin.
In 9:27-28, he says, “This time I have sinned. The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.”
But once the threat passes, he quickly turns his back on his promise.
I have often heard the phrase, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” Usually it is presented in a positive light, to point out that people turn to God in times of crisis. But the negative side of it is that those same people are often quick to turn away from God once the shelling stops.
For too many people, God is a last resort, as in the phrase, “There’s nothing left to do but pray.”
Prayer, though, is meant to be part of an ongoing relationship, not just a desperate cry when there’s nothing else to do. Repentance that is cast aside the moment things settle down isn’t repentance at all.