One More Night with the Frogs....

In reading the scripture today, I Corinthians 12:31 says, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."

As a young girl, I remember attending church services with my mom.  During that time, the church would invite people in ministry to come to our church and share the gospel and sometimes they would also sing.  One such visit included a gentleman that would share bible stories in song.  He played the guitar beautifully, and I always looked forward to hearing him sing.  One song in particular made all of us giggle.  The song took us back to the time of Moses, when Moses was beseeching Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery.  Pharoah was not willing to listen, and as a result God sent plagues to the lands.  One of the plagues included a pestilence of frogs.  Pharaoh in his infinite "non-wisdom" decided to wait it out overnight and have Moses come back for an answer the next day.  Really?  You want to live one more day with a bunch of frogs?  Ewww!  How crazy is that???

God was trying to tell Pharaoh there was a better way, a more excellent way but he chose to not listen.  It eventually cost Pharaoh his life.

For myself, there have been times where I made a poor decision.  It made the road going forward very difficult, and sometimes carried with it great regret and pain.  Had I stayed on course and been obedient to God's word, I could have been spared the consequences of my actions.  God tried to direct me towards a more excellent way, but I had deafened my heart and ears to what His word says.  I tried to manage things on my own, to take short cuts....to negotiate.....to do it my way....and I failed, but had I listened....

God is not trying to take all the fun out of our lives, but we need to remember that He sees and knows what we do not.  He sees the big picture.  He is trying to direct us towards a more "excellent way" that will overshadow any "moment" we envision would be better suited for us.  If we would seek God's will in our lives, today's verse tells me He will guide us into a more excellent way!  So, I am going to forget the frogs in my life...I don't want them, not for one day.  I am going to follow God and His plan for me.  I may not experience it immediately, but I am going to have faith because God's word speaks the truth.  Therefore, I pray that God's word will live in me and show me the more excellent way!