TO
GAIN HONOUR OVER PHARAOH: Devotion for Thursday August 18, 2016
Text:
Exodus 14:1 – 9
Memory
verse: Exodus 14 v 4
It is act of foolishness to use human
reasoning to assess God. Such assessment is baseless. It will amount to failure
because God is never programmed. He cannot be manipulated. His ways are not our
ways. His thoughts are higher than ours. He deserves our respect, honour and adoration.
There is this aphorism of my people which says
that “He that the god will kill; first, will be made mad.” This was the case of
Pharaoh. God hardened his heart so as to gain honour over him. Pharaoh thought
that all Israel were entangled in the wilderness, and so would become an easy
prey for him. But God says, I will be honoured upon Pharaoh. Of course we all
are made for the honour of God, our Maker. If men would not have their hearts
hardened, they must not continue knowingly to disobey God. If they thus
disobey, all the blame will rest upon them (Rom. 1:24–26) if God decides to
gain honour over them.
After relenting and giving them permission to
depart with the greatest reason, Pharaoh now changes his mind and determines to
prevent the Israelis from going. Without any farther restraining grace and
delay, God permitted him to rush on and pursue the Israelis to his final ruin. This
was the evidence that his cup of iniquity was now full. God judged him. This
shows that there is a limit to which we can enjoy the grace of God. Never think
that you have all the days and years to enjoy the grace of God. Are you living
in sin and thinking that you can continue to live the way you like? Today may
be your last day to commit that sin and God will expose you. Why not repent at
this moment and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late.
Kindly do it now or God will gain honour over you by force?
Food
for Thought: Exodus
9:16 - But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my
power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth.
Prayer: Almighty
God and my Father in heaven, help me to live a life that will bring honour to
you and not you, taking it by force.
