Today’s thought “A night of watching” (February 5)

Today’s thought

“A night of watching”

(February 5)

We read today of the climax of the ten plagues that came upon Egypt. Can you imagine yourself as an Israelite and the awe you would have felt! The early plagues affected us – but then a distinction is dramatically made – while there is “pitch darkness” in Egypt it is still daylight in Goshen (Exodus 10:21-23).

Is it not true to say, if we are full of true faith today, that we have “light” in our hearts – while the rest of the people have minds full of “darkness”! It is darkness as to what is eternally real and true: it reminds us of Peter’s words expressed in his second letter,

“we have the prophetic word … to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until …” (1:19).

As the divinely appointed climax in Egypt approached and the plagues became more awesome, how increasingly awed we would have become if we had been an Egyptian! In a sense our world today is full of ‘Egyptians’ – although nearly all are ignoring the darkness, the complete lack of ‘light’ as far as the future is concerned! The world has a sort of confidence because of the cleverness of its many inventions, but these are transient.

Today, as we read of the final plague of death on the Egyptians, God’s people were made to sense something awesome was about to happen. We read

“It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:42).

For those who ‘knew’ the Lord it was also “a night of watching”. Our world is, in a spiritual sense, an increasingly dark place; less and less are looking for the “true light” (John 1:9) – let us make sure, by what we do each day (and night) in 2018 that we are among those few who see the “true light” and are – “watching”.

We also read today Psalm 66; it was written as a testimony to the events in Egypt,

“Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land … There did we rejoice …” (verses 5,6).

The next Psalm looks at the future, a prayer to God that

“your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations” (verse 2).

Back in Psalm 66 let us all take to heart these words;

“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (verses 18,19).

At that time may we be among those who “say to God,

‘How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power’” (verse 3).

Will we be there in that day? We make the answer now. Let us make each day “a night of watching” – being spiritually wide awake because we can genuinely ‘see’ with the eye of faith in the darkness of this world.

Preceding article

Today’s thought “Thus says the LORD …” (February 4)

Jehovah reigns! Let the earth rejoice!

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