While it is sunny here, and the blizzard of the east has abated and those people can get back to ‘normal’ I couldn’t help but think that as a nation we are becoming soft and relies much too much on technology and other people – too many have given up self-dependency.

I am not minimizing the hazards of harsh weather, neither am I making light of those that truly suffered in the storm and especially those that lost their lives because of it.

When the weather gets like that it IS best to hunker down.  Common sense tells us to not take unnecessary risks.

However, there was a huge rush to the stores to get necessary emergency supplies – when they should have had that on hand anyway in their homes.

Cities shut down, freeways become parking lots because people are not prepared to deal with the weather.  They don’t have proper tires and even if they did they often don’t have any idea how to drive in in-climate weather – which is a good example of why we have so many problems here in America. 

I don’t know how many accidents I covered, how many cars I pushed out of ditches or out of the way of other vehicles, through the years, because the drivers weren’t prepared.

We would close down the Gorge because of severe weather conditions – but mainly because if we left it open people who had no idea of what they were doing and what the roads were like would cause accidents and block it anyway.

Since there is no way to tell which is which, you close the Gorge and that happens all over the country.

People panic, they don’t know how to deal with adversity so they make bad decisions – and have to be coddled because they don’t know what to do.

Too many are relying on others to make decisions for them that they are no longer capable of making on their own.  They are so dependent that they are unable to keep care of themselves. 

Sad commentary on what we have become.

Instead of teaching them and making them learn, society just ‘helps’ them.  So the next time instead of dealing with it, they have learned that someone will come to their aide.  So what has happened is people can’t do things themselves and have to be ‘saved’ from everything.  Of, course society also now determines that no decision by other than the ‘leaders’ know what is right for the masses, therefore the ‘leaders’ make that determination – regardless of whether anyone else thinks they are right – and mandates their way of doing things.

Generalized, I know, in rural areas of the country they just deal with it and go on.  Unfortunately, laws are passed and rules and regulations are made that causes distress for everyone over the inability of half the country’s population to help themselves.

If we required those individuals to work with farmers (if the farmers could stand them) for a couple of years – or even months – they, and our nation, would be much better off.  They would learn it isn’t about them, it is about working the land, taking care of the livestock – in all kinds of weather – and if you don't animals die and livelihoods are destroyed.  

Learning that despite obstacles, you still have to get up in the morning – stay up late at night – no matter the weather or how you and feel - and do your job, because no one else is going to do it for you.

It is learning that you can do the work AND you can help those that truly need helping, not just standing with their hands out.

I think there was a story along these lines, ‘the little red hen?’ .........

In my humble, opinion.

Exodus 7:4-6 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

⁵ And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

⁶ And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.

Exodus 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

As I have been reading of the plaques that God placed on Egypt I have to wonder ‘why didn’t Pharaoh just kill Moses and Aaron?’

Certainly it was well within his power and authority – so why didn’t he remove this pesky creature instead of allowing him an audience?

It took nine plagues before Pharaoh finally decided that if Moses didn’t stay away from him he would kill him.  I would think he would have thought of that right from the first meeting.  Who has the audacity to call on the mightiest man of the kingdom and threaten him, without suffering the consequences?

The answer, of course is God.

It was time to end the suffering of the Hebrews, while we have no doubt that it would have please them to have the suffering and slavery end much earlier, it was not God’s time.

We may go through trials that seem to be unending and we feel we can no longer stand the suffering – Why, why don’t you lift me up or lift this off?” - we cry to God.  In our minds it is long enough, it is time.

But God has His own means of when things are to be done and while there is nothing wrong with us asking Him for relief – when He decides to give it to us depends wholly on Him. 

Sometimes He allows things to happen to bring us up short and to make us realize that we have strayed from Him.

At other times, as in this era, He has other reasons – and we don’t always know why, we can speculate, but unless we are told in the scriptures, that is all it is.  Why did God send Moses to back to Egypt when he was 80, why not when he was 60?

Frankly those questions are really not important although we can see by His bringing forth other leaders that there was usually a time of trials and temptations, hardships and learning.

What we are reminded of in this story is that God does things and uses them to call people to Him, to prove Who He is, to demonstrate Who is in charge.

We know, of course, that God sent Moses into Egypt as His messenger to and chosen leader of the Hebrew nation – but not only them, it was to let those in Egypt know that He is God.

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Moses was protected by God.  When God sends His messengers, He has a veil of protection around them – yes there are those that lose their lives because the preached His Word – many prophets have been slain through the years because they dare tell the people, particularly the leaders, that they were sinners and His judgement would come down upon them.

But God’s plan, while not open to us, is always well thought out and the reasons for His decisions to prevent or allow His messengers to suffer are His, and always will be to bring others to Him.  To let others know of His authority and glory.

Nine plaques, after which Pharaoh said I will let your people go – and even then he later reneged. 

It wasn’t until the tenth and most devastating plague was placed on the people of Egypt that Pharaoh relented – and even then, after a short time, he decided he needed to go after them and bring them back.

As I read about these plagues and then the promise of Pharaoh to repent I see a duplicate of these actions in my own life.

How many times has God allowed me to be challenged and I prayed for relief – promising to obey and follow Him and THEN after I received freedom from that situation, did I renege on my promises to Him and then turned back to my sins?

All to many, I realize – and within these scriptures is the truth and the lesson that each time I fail, the correction gets harsher.

May I never forget who God is and what He expects of me.  May I never force Him to give me the worse plaque of my life to get me to turn back to Him.

These verses are not only a history lesson as to what happened, not only a demonstration of God’s great power, but a truth to be read and taken to heart.  We learn that God is going to allow suffering for a time, but, He always raises up leaders – in HIS time – and says it is enough, and He takes action.

The scriptures were written so that we may read and learn how to be Holy in His sight.

2 Timothy 3:14-17  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

¹⁵ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Later, Art :-)