Read Exodus 12:12-14 – ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lordthroughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance… ’ (NKJV)
Are you good at following the rules? A lot of guys aren’t. As men, we have an independent streak that often compels us to figure things out for ourselves or to look for shortcuts to the paths already marked. Why follow the rules if we can find a better way, right? But obedience is the only acceptable path for our God. In this story, careful obedience to directions was the only way to preserve the life of the firstborn. No instructions could be skipped. Anyone who insisted on doing things their own way would be as sorrowful as the Egyptians by morning. Jesus told us that obedience was the primary way to demonstrate our love for God. When we obey, we submit ourselves to the command of another, thereby indicating His superiority. That’s a big part of what worship is all about, isn’t it?
– Dr. Mike Clarensau serves as Senior Director of the Healthy Church Network of the Assemblies of God.
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