Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Searcy, AR
How would you feel if you got up to make your morning bread, only to find a family of frogs in your dough bowl?
It was the 2nd plague: “The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls” (Ex. 8:3 ESV).
“When the frogs came, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, ‘Plead with the LORD to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Moses said to Pharaoh, ‘Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.’ And he said, ‘Tomorrow.’” (Ex. 8:8-10 ESV)
TOMORROW! Pharaoh wanted the frogs gone... he called for Moses... and yet when Moses was willing to pray for God to remove the frogs, Pharaoh decided to keep them around one more night. Why? Did stubborn proud Pharaoh hope that by postponing the petition to God, he could handle the frogs himself?
Do we do the same thing?
“One more night with the frogs” is not the way we want to live our lives. We need to live intentionally... following the path of Jesus.
I believe Satan rejoices when he sees us putting off anything that is important, but especially if it is something that would make our relationship with the Father better.
Stop and think about how you spend your time... what is important to you... and are you spending time in the things that are of first importance?
Paul wrote: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4 ESV).
BUT, there is still daily life to take care of. What can we do to keep our priorities in order and do what needs to be done? Is there something taking your time/energy/finances that you don’t need/enjoy and can eliminate?
Prioritize by identifying things as “must do/have,” “when possible,” and “want.”
Colossians 3:23 (ESV) tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily (diligently/enthusiastically), as for the LORD, not for men.”
Proverbs 27:1 (ESV): “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”
We all have unexpected things pop up leading to something important being forgotten. This brings frustration, tears, anger... and sometimes pointing a finger and blaming others.
Do what you can when you can, because we never know when that unexpected need/problem will pop up to demand our time and energy go a different direction.
Let’s learn from Pharaoh and don’t put off until tomorrow what can be done today...NO MORE NIGHTS WITH THE FROGS!