Seize the Moment – Day 461
Favoritism!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, June 21.
Every parent knows not to show favoritism. It causes jealousy and conflict between the kids because people tend to act out when they feel like someone is getting treated better than they are. Just remember the story of Joseph and how his father’s favoritism and special gifts brought great suffering upon him at the hands of his brothers.
There is an exception though. God, our heavenly father, makes distinctions between those who belong to Him and those who do not. While every person can call upon God to be their Father, not everyone recognizes Him as their creator, redeemer, and sustainer.
Exodus 9:4-6 overtly states how God makes distinctions between the Egyptians and the Israelites and how God’s plagues would impact them differently:
“But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.” The Lord set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died.
In order to rescue His chosen people, God made a distinction between those who are His and those who are not. Why? Because, as we see in verse 16, God’s motive is greater than one nation: “But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.”
While God was working to rescue His chosen people from the Egyptians, His ultimate purpose was that through them all the children of the world would know His name and power. God accomplished this purpose through Jesus Christ!
Seize the moment and call upon God as your heavenly Father. He loves you! Jesus made the way for you to be His favored child!