Exodus 8:1-15
Do you have a favorite frog? I well remember my favorite frog! He was gray with beautiful, bright yellow legs! When I found him I was just a child living at the lake and enjoying all the blessings of a child's summer, loving God's amazing creation and all of His wonderful works. Then there he was—a lovely frog—sunning himself on Uncle Ed's gray ladder—hence his gray coloring, which changed with his location. He became my special frog friend, playing and going with me everywhere I went. He taught me much about frogs! They're fast and very hard to catch, and they're so slippery and almost impossible to hold onto! With his camouflage abilities, I needed special vision to spot him. Yes, I loved him. And then the unthinkable happened! I was giving him a bath under the faucet in the cottage sink—he was truly enjoying it—when he slipped from my hands and went down the drain! I was devastated, till Dad assured me he was fine, as the sink only drained into the sand under the cottage. Dad took me out to look, and sure enough—there he was! My friend, but no longer in my control! Now you might think I'm crazy to tell a childhood story here, but let me ask you again—do you have a favorite frog?
Before you answer too quickly, let me tell you that frogs were gods to the Egyptian people, who are a symbol of us all without Christ. What are our gods? What do we give our lives to to love and serve? How do we spend our time and affection? They're everywhere! Frogs—gods—galore! If only we had vision to see them, we would know that what is so precious and desirous to us becomes a curse when it is given such a wrong place in our hearts—a place that belongs only to the one, true God. That's exactly what happened to the Egyptian people—people who would not honor the Lord our God. He judged their gods, showing them to be powerless, and even a Plague to them. If you haven't given your life to Jesus Christ, or if you have, but harbor a rebellious spirit, you are spiritually blind and cannot recognize the frogs—the idols in your life. Cry out to Jesus and He will give you vision of a realm you've never seen before. You'll see your gods of self, family, and material lusts as curses to be rid of. Don't just shove them down the drain into the sand—they'll be back. But let us deny self—be crucified with Christ—that we may have new holy lives in Him, with new desires and a new God—the one and only true and living God of the Universe. Remember—false gods are fast and slippery—they won't be caught by us—it's only in Jesus Christ that we have salvation and deliverance! Let us, with God's vision, cry out with Moses, “Let my people go”--all the “people” of my heart and life so that I, with united heart, may love and serve the living God. When asked when he wanted the plague to be lifted, Pharaoh answered, “Not now, tomorrow! Odd! Or is that our answer, too, as we desire to hold on to our idols yet another day? Let us not wait for tomorrow! Today is the day of deliverance! (2 Cor. 6:2) Be free in Christ this Christmas! What a wondrous gift!
~ Cindy Warren
