Scripture:
Exodus 10:24-26 Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. “Go and worship The Lord,” he said. “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.” “No,” said Moses, “you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to The Lord our God. All livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for The Lord our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship The Lord until we get there.”
Observation:
God doesn’t settle. I am sure that if Moses had opened this decision to debate amongst the other “elders” of the Israelite people, they would have gladly settled for Pharaoh’s deal. Thankfully, Moses was obedient to God’s commands, which allowed God to bless His people and ensure complete and total victory over the enemy.
Application:
Sometimes we are tempted to “take the deal” the enemy is offering to us. Another name for this is compromise. We compromise God’s Glory in our lives by not praying because we are too hungry, or yelling at our loved ones, or showing up late to work. As if fasting justifies our unloving and inhuman behavior. It further pollutes our lives and robs us of the testimony of what God is planning. However, if we are willing to “humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God [trust His ways], then in due time He will lift us up” (1st Peter 5:6). And just like the former game show “Deal or No Deal”, we must be willing to wait out these petty offers of compromise by the enemy through refusing to settle for anything less than God’s Glory to manifest in and through our lives.
Prayer:
Jesus, I love You and thank You that you have led me to fast and pray. I ask that You give me eyes to see and ears to hear You in this season. Help me not to cut this fast short or make it easier on my worldly appetites and thereby rob myself of Your glory in and through my life. Help me to be obedient to Your word to the very last step and not take any “deals” of compromise that the enemy is offering. Keep me from being a stumbling block to others so that Your light can shine through me. Amen.
Worship: