Today's Reading: Exodus 8:16-24
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 29:1-30; Mark 9:14-32
“Then the magicians said to Pharoah, ‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharoah’s heart was hardened and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” (Exodus 8:18)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Hey, there’s that finger of God stuff again! Yesterday, Jesus said that if He cast out demons by means of the finger of God, the kingdom of God has come.
As if the gnats weren’t bad enough, the Lord strikes the land of Egypt with flies, too. He sends a selective plague—lest anyone think this is a natural occurrence. Everywhere else in Egypt there are flies, but over in Goshen, where the children of Israel lived...no flies.
If God did something like cast out a demon or turned dust into gnats, you’d think they would listen. If some areas had flies, but theirs didn’t...just like God said it would be, you’d think that by mere common sense, they would believe in the Lord God.
But they don’t. Pharaoh doesn’t listen to his magicians. The crowds don’t listen to Jesus. Don’t they see? Can’t they see? God is among them!
Don’t kid yourself, you wouldn’t see either. You have forgiveness, eternal life, salvation all around you. It drips down your forehead in Baptism. It’s put into your mouth at the Sacrament. It’s all right there in front of you. Yet, you still do what you want to do and live the way you want to live. You live each day as if you aren’t forgiven, as if you just have to do this sin or that one. You despise His Name, His Word, His preaching, His Day. You don’t honor mom and dad. You don’t look after your neighbor and are led into some great shame and vice. You borrow and don’t return, you use foul language. And coveting? What do you NOT want that your neighbor has?
Don’t you know that you are free from the slavery of these sins? Don’t you see that the chains have been broken? Simple answer: No, you don’t.
Jesus sees for you. He knew that the finger of God Himself was at work in His life. Every miracle, every meal, every run-of-the-mill thing was a gift for Him from His loving Father. Nothing missed—not a one. He counts His faith as yours and dies for your unbelief. Despite you not seeing, He lives and dies in your place.
Then He opens your eyes. See my forgiveness? See my eternal life? See the heaven I give you? It’s all yours. I have freed you from your slavery–all of it.
See it now? Pharaoh didn’t during his gnatty and fly-filled Lent. You do now. You have been freed by Christ. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.