One More Night with the Frogs

CHAPTER 2 ONE MORE NIGHT WITH THE FROGS
Our Heavenly Father we ask you to be present and speak to the heart. This one who reads is seeking your guidance and loving care. Send the Holy Spirit to heal any hurt and show how much you care and love us. We know Lord that you have given each special gift for a specific purpose. Thank you Lord for caring enough to listen as our hearts seek you and loving enough to send your only son to die for our sins. In Jesus name we ask all things.

Many times as I read the Bible stories I know God is opening views that are not always brought out in sermons or Sunday school teachings. Just such a story was found in Exodus 8:1-11. This is but one part of a long chain of events in the life of the King of Egypt.
In here we find a picture of a man who could not turn loose of his sin, his pride or his obsessions. He loved them so much he wanted one more night of misery. As King he also wanted to share his misery with his whole country. The Bible tells us the land of Egypt was covered with frogs as a result of Pharaoh’s pride and defiance to God’s request to let His people go. Not a few but thousands upon thousands of frogs. They were everywhere, in everything and were creating a royal mess. All Egyptians were affected by Pharaoh’s desire for one more night with the frogs. After God had plagued Egypt with frogs and Pharaoh’s magicians added to the mess Pharaoh sent for Moses so he could get some sleep and to get rid of the frogs. All he had to do was to agree with God to let God’s people go. Pride got into Pharaoh’s eyes and he went back on his promise for a fourth time. This is what caused the mess in the first place. But now Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Ok I’ll let them go just get rid of all these frogs.” Moses said, “Great when do you want to get rid of the frogs?” With all the royal wisdom that Pharaoh possessed he said,” Tomorrow.” God said, ”You got it.” So all of Egypt was facing one more night with the chirping stinking dying frogs.
Imagine for a minute what this must have looked like. The land was black with crawling hopping frogs. Everywhere your looked, stepped or touched you found a frog. The land was alive with them. When you went into your house there were the frogs, in the cabinet in your bed in your bath in your food storage, everywhere. As you came in your stepped on dozens of them and now there are dead slimy stinking frogs all over your house, in your yard, frogs alive and dead and stinking, as far as you can see frogs. After you got all the frogs out of your bed and tried to rest the volume of the frog song began to rise in the night air. As more and more joined into the chorus sleep became impossible for anyone. Night after night day after day noise stench and death.
“What was the king thinking?” murmured the kingdom. “One more night?” “I can’t take it any more.” Came the screams from across the land of Egypt. You are tired and need sleep just as you sink into your easy chair a frog hops across your lap and on to you head. The Egyptian heat has started to cause the dead frogs to decay and the stench is becoming unbearable. The thought on every Egyptian’s mind, “Do we really need these Hebrews?”
Back at the palace Moses is still shaking his head at Pharaoh’s statement. “You really want one more night with these frogs?” “What ever you say, I’m sure God can accommodate you and your country.” “I’ll see your tomorrow and we can get down to the business of leaving.” Pharaoh knew God and knew what he needed to do. But like many today he wanted to spend just one more day in sin and misery. By the time Moses got back to Pharaoh’s palace the next day there were heaps of dead stinking frogs all over the country. As fast as they died they were swept into piles. The Bibles calls them heaps of frogs. The smell of death was everywhere. This was but a foreshowing of things more sinister to come. Sin always causes death. Always has always will!
This is a picture of America today. We think we can play with sin for a season and things will be ok. The frogs will go away. We want one more night with the frogs. What does this show us? It pictures a Christ less generation that will not listen when God speaks, will not follow His directions and refuses to turn loose of its sin.
Just like Pharaoh we know there is a God. Know what He can and will do but still we run with sin stuffed in our pockets thinking we have plenty of time to get things right. Many know they need to get saved need to trust Christ with their lives but they want one more night with the frogs.
This is also a picture of Christians today. How in the world could this be a picture of a Christian? One way would be by the lack of faith. Many say, “No thank you God I can do this all by my self. You just stay at the church and when I need you I will come and visit.”
Or maybe it could picture a refusal to serve. God made each one of us special and unique. Gave each special talent that no one else on the planet has. We are the only one who can use the talents given to us. God had a plan for the use of our talents to edify and glorify His Church. A born again child of God is a part of the body of Christ and as such is expected to function in the area especially provided for the special talents given to that person. The Apostle Paul is describing in 1Corinthians 12:12-31 what the Church body is to look like. He is detailing how we each are to be a part of the body and are to function with the talents we have been given. As a part of the body of Christ we are expected to enhance that body not rip it apart or let it die from lack of use. Just as one of your body parts cannot function or survive separated from the body, neither can one who is a member of Christ body survive alone in the world.

Tomorrow I will serve God, just as soon as I get my schedule adjusted to fit God in. I have meetings to attend, a job to do and I must spend some quality time with the family. I’m still young I need to enjoy life, when I get old I will serve God. When we get old we say I too old to work or serve. I need to just set and rest and watch. I’ll pray for you, I’ll read my Bible and support the things the preacher wants to do. Just make sure my pew is saved for me to set on. From that vantage point I will consider how best to serve God or to direct how others are to serve Him. Tomorrow I will feel better. So just give me one more night with the frogs.
Like Pharaoh many are looking to tomorrow. The lost say tomorrow I will get saved. I have plenty of time. The Bible tells us we know not the day or the hour when the Lord will come or when God will require our soul of us. The rich man was told,” …this night you soul will be required of thee.” (Luke 12:20) Oh I know I need to change need to get things right with God. I will get things settled before I die. Besides I’m not sure I can live that Christian stuff now. I have too many things to do, too many places to go, too much fun yet to have. Give me just one more night with the frogs.
Tomorrow means a Christ less life. The Bible says every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess. Every living soul will stand before God and give account for their lives. Will give account of how they used or didn’t use the talents God gave them. This accounting will not be to man but to God. At that time all your cunning craftiness will be gone you will have to tell the truth. God has already seen your video. He knows what you have been up to. Knows everything your have ever said and done, and why you acted so.
If you are lost you are without Christ and have no one to speak for you. If you turn Christ away today you could be in Hell tomorrow. It is appointed unto man once to die after that the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) To die without God is a bad deal.
Tomorrow to a Christian means a lot more. By putting God on the back burner you will live a defeated life. You will miss all God has prepared for you. You will wander aimlessly always seeking where you left your joy, your purpose, and your life.
Hey I have time God will understand how busy I am. I go to church when I can. Besides look at all those at the church surely they can get along without me. They are always looking down on me anyway.
Yes the body will still function without you it just won’t operate at peak efficiency. Your talent is a key part. Remember God made you for a reason gave you skills no one else has or can use. Can He make things work without you sure just not as well as if you were there doing what you were designed to do.

“So you want one more night with the frogs?” “ Don’t bother me now I know what I’m doing when I have time I will get right with God. I will listen then I will serve God.Tomorrow!”
Tomorrow may never come. All we have certainty of is today. Christian today labors are needed. The fields are white unto harvest. It does not depend on age gender or education. God has a place for each of His creations. All have been given talents and gifts to make the body of Christ great.
Should you die today what rewards await you? If you are a servant of the King and have kept His commandments…”Well done thou good and faithful servant” will ring through the portals of heaven. Every angel will hear and know who you are and what you have done.
Without Christ the most dreaded words ever spoken will also ring out. “Depart from me for I never knew you.”
The question is this, “When do you want the frogs to go away?”
Today or do you want one more night with the frogs?