10/3 What Will It Take?

Exodus 12:31

“And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.”

This story of Pharaoh and the ten plagues is a very sad story. It finally took the death of his firstborn to get him to do what God had commanded him to do. Think about this, nine other plagues had literally ravished and destroyed the land of Egypt according to Exodus 10:7, and yet he would not obey God and let the people go to worship God. Finally, God had to take his firstborn son, the son whom no doubt was the heir of his kingdom, to get him to obey what God wanted him to do.

How sad this story is, but how common this story becomes in the lives of Christians today. I am constantly amazed how people will continue to go on in their sin even though their life has been destroyed by sin. Because God could not get a Christians attention any other way, He had to take a loved one from them to get them to do what He made them to do. You see, sin will affect many innocent people. Unfortunately innocent people have to suffer because of the sin of someone else. Yet, you would think that people would get right with God, but sad to say they do not.

I wonder as I write this devotional, to the one who has refused to let go of some pet sin, what will it take for God to get you to do what He has asked you to do? To the one whom God called to serve Him full-time in the ministry, what will it take for you to follow His calling? To the one who is living in sin, what is God going to have to do to get you to get right? To the rebellious Christian, to what degree will God have to punish you to get you to come back to Him? Is God going to have to go to the point that He takes a loved one for you to get right? Are you going to force God’s hand and make God have to punish you to this degree? Yes, I have seen many times that it took the death of a loved one to get someone to come back to God. Don't let this be you!

Each of us need to look at our lives and find the sin that we have held onto for so long and get right before God must take extreme measures to get our attention. Don't be so hard-headed that God must take a loved one to get you to obey His commands. Be a Christian who has a tender heart, that at the first poke of conviction upon your heart you get right. Be a Christian who has a tender heart, ever willing to do what God wants you to do so that you never experience the punishing hand of God.