Mon.’s Devo -God’s Power Displayed

Read: Exodus 7:25-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 6:1-5
God’s plagues over Egypt were not random plagues; they were a direct assault on the gods of the land. They worshipped the Nile, so God poured his blood on it. They worshipped frogs, so God gave them so many frogs they not longer saw them as a good thing. They worshipped their bodies so God sent stinging gnats to sting them. This was the first plague that the magicians of Egypt couldn’t copy. They said, “This is the finger of God.”
They were right. The gnats came from dust just like man did. Only God could make a man out of dust and only God could make gnats out of dust.
They finally acknowledged a power greater than their own. Pharaoh was hardened so God brought flies. This is when God made a line in the sand and said that no more of the plagues would be visited on his people in Goshen.
Pharaoh repented a little and told Moses that his people could sacrifice but they had to do it in Egypt. Moses refused his offer saying that their sacrifices would offend the Egyptians. They needed to go three days away. Pharaoh compromised to let them go…just not very far.
When the flies were gone, Pharaoh changed his mind again. The fifth plague killed their livestock, the sixth one touched their bodies with boils. The seventh plague of thunder and hail killed their livestock and their slaves and destroyed their harvest of flax and barley.
In Matthew, a rich man came to Jesus and asked him what he had to do to be saved. He prided himself in following the law but Jesus discerned his heart and told him to give that. His heart was his wealth. He could not do that. Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. He was referring to an expression known at that time. Houses or passageways with narrow openings were referred to as the eye of the needle. The only way a camel could go through them was to have their load taken off and to crawl on their knees. Jesus was saying that if a rich man could take off the load of his riches and humble himself, then he could enter. But that was the only way. That is the only way anyone can enter into the kingdom - empty and humble.
Lord, help us to recognize a power greater than our own is in control. May we be instruments of your hand.