A Year with God

Selection Taken From:
A Year with God by R.P. Nettelhorst

Make this the year you let God's Word "dwell in you richly"---and marvel at the results! Each entry in this 365-day devotional features Scripture verses in which God speaks, accompanied by insights and applications to enhance your understanding. Learn what God says about hope and fear; perseverance and quitting; companionship and isolation; and more! 384 pages, softcover from Nelson, Copyright 2010.

Jumping Frogs of Egypt

The LORD said to Moses, "Go back to Pharaoh and announce to him, This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs across your entire land. The Nile River will swarm with frogs. They will come up out of the river and into your palace, even into your bedroom and onto your bed! They will enter the houses of your officials and your people. They will even jump into your ovens and your kneading bowls. Frogs will jump on you, your people, and all your officials.'"

; Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Raise the staff in your hand over all the rivers, canals, and ponds of Egypt, and bring up frogs over all the land: " So Aaron raised his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the whole land! But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic. They, too, caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, "Plead with the Login to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD." - Exodus 8:1-8 NLT

Tyrants are not quick to keep their promises. As his nation was overrun with frogs, Pharaoh recognized that they came from the God of the slaves, and he asked Moses to get his God to send them away. In exchange, Pharaoh promised to do just what the slaves' God said.

This was but the second plague that had come upon the land of Egypt, and like the plague before, though it was annoying, it wasn't exactly devastating to his kingdom. Frogs didn't bite. They just made noise and startled people by their presence. And they were messy, and, really, you didn't want them in your food or in bed with you.

But like many a tyrant after him, Pharaoh asked for concessions, and then when they were given, asked for more. He never did what he promised in return. And so the pharaoh was quick to give in to Moses. Once he got what he wanted, however, he felt no obligation to follow through on his promise. Pharaoh was contemptuous of his slaves and of their God. But Pharaoh underestimated the sort of god the slaves had. God cared about the oppressed and was willing—and able—to help them.