READING:
One-year plan: Exodus 8-9, Matthew 17:14-18:20
Two-year plan: Genesis 29:31-30:43, Matthew 10:16-31
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The plagues of Egypt are a strong example of God’s knowing His children. He enacted the plagues on the Egyptians, and note what happened to God’s people: “But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where my people are living; no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am in the land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people” (Exo 8:22-23). In fact, similar language is evident in the following plagues:
- “The Lord did this the next day. All the Egyptian livestock died, but none among the Israelite livestock died. Pharaoh sent messengers who saw that not a single one of the Israelite livestock was dead” (Exo 9:6-7)
- “The only place it didn’t hail was in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were” (Exo 9:26)
That difference would eventually lead to the dramatic distinction between the Hebrews and the Egyptians in the death of the firstborn as the final plague. These distinctions, in fact, would be evidence of who God is: He is a God who knows His own.
Amen.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you humbled by the reality that you are God’s child (if, in fact, you are)?
PRAYER: “God, I praise You that You know Your own.”
MONDAY’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Exodus 10:1-12:42, Matthew 18:21-19:12
Two-year plan: Genesis 31:1-35, Matthew 10:32-42