From frogs to locusts, here they come!
This is either a scary or fun week, depending on your perspective. Water turning into blood, frogs jumping out of ovens, locusts eating everything in sight and wild animals seemingly showing up out of nowhere! One set of people are attacked while the other are finally relaxing and enjoying the sights. Miracles and wonders. And yet, through all of this, Pharaoh closes his mind. His people have nothing to drink and the main water source turns into blood!! Nope, says Pharaoh, not listening. Frogs leap from everywhere. Nope, says Pharaoh, not listening. One might think that after 1 or 2 times Pharaoh is warned of some national crisis and it happens he would open his eyes and his mind. But no. Even after 8 and 9 crazy national disasters Pharaoh is steadfast.
How is this possible? Is Pharaoh completely mad or delusional? Or are his desires so complete that there is no room for any other reality?!! Pharaoh, even when his own people plead with him to relent, he stays the course. He really wants his way!!
We can learn a great lesson from Pharaoh! If we really want to accomplish something, all we really need is a strong will. This will needs to overcome all of the temptations and distractions that burst on the scene every day. We need to make our desire so great that nothing can possibly deter us from accomplishing our goal. We too can be like Pharaoh and stay our own course, hopefully not incurring lions, tigers or bears…or frogs!