keep me awake tonight.
We forget, or choose not to see.
The Ten Plagues, were of *Egypt*, not just the one city, where Moses and the Pharaoh, had their showdown. The entire Country suffered through those horrible nightmares. Which means even those in the country, who had no idea what was going on... lost *everything* in the wrath of God.
How can we then, look on a single incident in our families, or a single tornado, or earthquake, and say "Look! The wrath of God!" - what amazing vanity. If it were God, wrecking havoc on our country - trust me, we would have *no* doubt of it. There would be no other logical explanation. (Not that God has anything to do with Logic, but Im just saying here......)
Secondly, that the first plague, and presumably the others, wernt just momentary things. Its fairly clear that each one of these disasters lasted at *least* a full 24 hours, but much more likely, three days to a week, before they were lifted.
Even if it was just the river turned to blood, how many *died*, when left 7 days without fresh water. How many people died of starvation, long after the Jews were gone? And when we think "Death of the firstborn" we think children, infants... which is terrible enough... but what of the adult firstborn?
How many children were orphaned? How many people left with nothing? How many people were left scarred, disfigured, and alone?
Tomorrow, we celebrate the Passover. The Night when God chose to let the Hebrews live, while He slaughtered their enemies in one last bloodless, terrifying attack. They ate the feast with their cloaks on their back, and their shoes on, ready for travel. Ready, to flee. For how long would it take, for the Egyptians to rise up against them, come after them, to try to kill them, out of hurt, and anger and retribution?
Our God - is an *AWESOME* God. not in terms of the popular version of the word, but in the terms that He is terrifying, awe-inspiring, and down right *horrible*. When He gave Moses, those Ten Commandments, so recently, flippantly referred to as "Moses Big Ten" (When did they become Moses? Arent they *YHWH's* Himself?) These rules were stringently simple. And most of all, was pressed on us, not to worship any God but *Him*.
That, more then anything, had been Egypts crime. Oh yes, they had sodomy and fornication, they had murder, and gluttony and wrath, and all manner of all sins.
But they're *true* crime, was to create their *own "gods" - their own people, their own ways, separate and away from Him*.
SO take a moment, and think - what do you *depend* on? What do you turn to - for help, for security, for hope, for refuge?
What are your gods?
Dont tell me money isnt among them.
For me, I write, I shop, I play WoW. I read, I play with my children, and I spend time with my husband.
And maybe, after all of that, I turn to God.
Now, Im not about to cast any one of those activities out of my life.
But what I do wish to do, at least now, in this moment, is recognize that I need to put them into proper perspective. I need to recognize that the God whom I serve, is far more capable of comfort, of love, of acceptance, and of mercy, then any of those things that I usually turn to. Just as he is capable of the wrath of Egypt.
Because He is perfect, *He* can be both.
Tomorrow, I may make a mini Passover meal for my family. I want to focus on the salt water, the horseradish, the charoset, the parsley... the Maatza. To taste those bitter tears, and feel the burn of righteousness on my tongue. To taste the "mortar" that held together the walls that they built, and for one moment, be with them in their slavery. That it was so terrible, that God would mete out such extreme punishment.
Tonight, I am humbled in the presence of an awesome, and terrifying God - who *loves* me.
And though I will never understand or comprehend...
It doesnt matter.
because its *true*.
Because that is, afterall, what Passover, and "Easter" are all about.
