Choosing Frogs

I was reading this week the story of Moses seeking to free the children of Israel from the Pharaoh.  The Pharaoh refused. It’s recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible.  Many of you will recall what happens next.  Ten plagues are sent upon Egypt, meant to convince the Pharaoh that resisting God and His plan is futile.  The only purpose of these plagues was to free the Jewish nation.  The plagues were severe.  There were plagues of  blood, frogs, gnats, disease in livestock, festering boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and death.

I read about the first plague of blood.  The River Nile was changed to blood.  Water that had been stored in pots and bowls all turned to blood.  There was no water to drink.  Still the Pharaoh refused to let the Jewish people go.  The second plague was frogs.  They were everywhere.  They filled the river, the streets, were in the houses, crawling in the beds, found in the kitchen and in all the food bowls, and crawled inside clothing.  How awful must that have been!

Blood in the water was awful, but to deal with moving frogs, jumping and crawling everywhere must have been a fearful thing.  People had to have been running and screaming, trying to get away.  I know I would have been running as fast as I could.  It was this frog incident that made my mouth drop when I read the short conversation Pharaoh had with Moses concerning this plague. No doubt, Pharaoh’s household and servants, as well as the nation, must have been begging and shouting for something to be done.  That’s not surprising.  What I found incredulous was the response of Pharaoh.  He calls for Moses and requests that Moses please ask God to stop the frogs.  Moses asks Pharaoh when he would like this to be done.  I thought that question would have an obvious answer, until I read Pharaoh’s response.  I’ve read this account in my life many times, but I never noticed Pharaoh’s answer until this week.  Moses asks when shall he talk to God about getting rid of the frogs.  Pharaoh answers — “tomorrow.”  Tomorrow?  What in the world?

I sat there staring at the response in Exodus 8:10.  “‘Do it tomorrow,’ Pharaoh says.”  Really?  I can’t fathom why Pharaoh decided to wait.  He knew God alone had the power to remove the frogs.  Pharaoh and all his household and country wanted to be rid of the frogs.  They were causing havoc and panic.  Why wait until tomorrow when it can be done today?

As I contemplated, a sobering truth crept over me.  I actually felt a slight shiver crawl over my skin.  You and I do this too often in our walks with God.  There we are, basking in God’s love, enjoying His blessings in our lives, living with His guidance and wisdom and strength, but one day, we open the door of our mind or heart to something not right in God’s eyes.  We let frogs in.  It’s just a few at first, but they multiply. Unconfessed sin will manifest itself in growing depression, fear, anger, and diminished joy.  It is overall most unpleasant.  We are then reminded, in our inner spirit where the Holy Spirit resides, of an important truth of God found in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  We know this to be true. We know that with confession comes joy and peace, but incredibly, like Pharaoh, we often say to God — “Tomorrow, I’ll confess tomorrow.”

Wow!  Why do we choose to jump around in fear from infiltrating frogs of unrighteousness, to lay and sit in frog excrement which will surely be there, instead of simply and joyfully coming to God, confessing what we have done, truly repenting with that desire to do it no more, and receiving joy unspeakable?  Why do we delay?

Our carnal and spiritual natures war with each other.  One brings frogs of despair while the other brings cleanliness of heart and mind.  Either is ours for the asking or enduring.  Endure frogs or ask forgiveness.  We are free to make our choice.  I hope we all choose to get rid of the frogs — today.  Don’t wait until tomorrow.