January 29

Exodus 8:1 – 9:35, Matthew 19:13-30, Psalm 24, Proverbs 6:1-5

PRAY: Lord, thank You for who You are. Your power and might are beyond my comprehension, and yet, You so gently meet me where I am. Thank You for being so wonderful and so merciful toward me. Please open my eyes and help me see a glimpse of Your majesty as I read Your Word today. Thank You, Lord.

READ Scripture: The recurring message God gives Pharaoh through Moses is: “Let my people go, so they can worship me.” God is our Rescuer and He alone deserves our worship. At any point Pharaoh could have chosen to humble himself before the living God and allowed the Hebrews to take their three-day journey into the wilderness to worship Yahweh. Pharaoh had the authority to do that, and no one in Egypt would have been able to rebuke Pharaoh. But of course, Pharaoh closed the door on God. And with each layer of stubbornness, God’s power became more visibly demonstrated.

EDIFY: God said to the ruler of Egypt: “By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth” (Exodus 9:15). Do you and I realize how powerful God is? We know maybe a small fraction of His goodness—but not the full measure of His glory and majesty. God desires all people to know Him intimately now as Lord and Savior.

PRACTICE: Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like little children. Have you humbled yourself before the Lord? Jesus humbled Himself on your behalf when He was stripped, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Christ does not want anything to keep you from knowing God. Nothing can compare to a personal relationship with Christ. The young man in Matthew 19:16-22 wanted to have eternal life, but not to the point he was willing to let go of his possessions. He could have known the joy of walking with the Savior, and yet he chose instead to close the door on the Lord.     

“Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle… He is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:7-8,10b).