the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 1 of 5
Exodus 9:17-35
A seventh plague is announced: hail. For the first time we see the Egyptians fearing the word of the LORD and putting their flocks into shelter. The purpose of the catastrophes which God allows to happen is to remind men of His presence. We are so proud today of all the scientific progress through which man believes he is capable of controlling the forces of nature. But then, in order to remind them who is the Master of the world, God allows natural disasters, unforeseeable scourges: earthquakes, epidemics, invasions of insects . . . all of which show up man for the insignificant creature he is, and humble his pride. (Job 38:22-23). By every possible means He seeks to turn men’s thoughts towards Himself. In fact, it is often by such calls to order that they are brought to reflect and concern themselves with their eternal destiny. How many souls in distress have found in Jesus a shelter, not only against the storms down here, but against eternal judgment!
God measures carefully the extent of the trial. It will not go further than He permits. The flax and the barley are smitten, not the wheat or the rye (vv. 31, 32). As to His well-beloved people, they enjoy His marvellous protection throughout the whole period of the storm (v. 26).
