Given August 2009

In chapter 12 of Exodus, we read of the night Israel left Egypt.  God gave Moses some very specific instructions to pass on to the people about the course of events which were about to happen, (verses 3-11).  Some of it sounded pretty crazy.

They had been slaves in Egypt for 430 years and Pharaoh had refused to let God’s people go as Moses had been asking him.  Even after all the plagues, Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he didn’t want to let his workforce leave.  But tonight was going to be different.God instructed them to do these things: kill a lamb, wipe its blood on their door frame, get the whole family in the house, get your coat & shoes on, have your staff in hand ready to travel, roast the lamb, eat all of it, and eat it in a hurry.  Doesn’t this sound a little strange to you?  They’re slaves…why would they be ready to travel and where would they be going?  How could they finance a trip into the desert and what about grandpa who had a stroke making bricks 10 years ago and was paralyzed on one side?  How’s he going to travel?  That’s crazy!

But…they believed God and did as He said.  That night, the death angel came through the land and the first born of everything died but not among God’s people.  There was loud wailing in Egypt, (verses 29-30).  Pharaoh called Moses in and urged them to take their herds and go as they had asked before.  The Egyptian people told them to hurry and leave lest we die, (verse 34), and they were to ask the Egyptians for money and clothes before they left.  Crazy?  But they did and the Egyptians gave it to them!

But what about grandpa who was paralyzed and all the other sick or injured people among the crowd of 3 million?  “He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.” Psalm 105:37.  Even though grandpa was paralyzed, he believed God and got his staff and sandals on ready to travel.  I imagine maybe as he was helped through the door, he was healed along with the many other who were, “feeble”.

Whatever God says, DO IT….it’s not crazy!