A smarter man would have cut his losses by now. Yet with Egypt's food futures in ruins, death and pests everywhere, the Pharaoh still stubbornly insists on being right - and he is willing to let his own people suffer for the privilege.
For this, the historian tells us that Pharaoh is fast losing the respect of his own people. They are beginning to look on Moses with respect - the leader who figths for his people, rather than Pharaoh who throws his own people to the wolves for his own ego.
Like most ancient cultures, a first born baby is automatically offered to the gods ceremonially for good luck. The would grow up to live his own life because no gods has even collected on these offereings - until now.
The tenth and final plague is announced with a warning. If Pharaoh does not relent and insists on challenging God to bring on the tenth plague, there will be heartbreaking wailing all over the land. God is coming to collect every first born in the country - human or animal. "Your people will give us their gold and silver and beg us to go," Pharaoh is warned.
And Pharaoh resolutely digs in. To him, being right is more important than saving his people.
Write
Think about your faith story: have you ever found it more important to be right that to do the right thing? How have your suffered for this position?
How have you been hurt by someone needing to be right, than to do the right thing by you?
Presently, in what relationship or circumstances do you find it hard to do the right thing because of hurt feelings?
Who do you know is choosing to be right, at the cost of friendships?
Pray
What
is God saying to you today? What's Good News to you?
Talk to God about the ways you have chosen to be right over deeper relationship with God and others. Thank God for the way he chooses grace, mercy and love over judgment over you sin.
Pray about your current struggles to be right. Ask God for the help you need, the reassureance of his presence, and the courage to reciprocate grace, mercy and love over being trampled.
Pray for your friend who is needing to be right because of trampled feelings. Ask God to show you how you can come along side and support your friend..
Pray for an experience of God's love, grace and mercy in the way he chooses us by finding a remedy for sin, and in the way he exemplies the willingness to lose just to win a friend.