Daily Bible Reading Reflections

“In the Midst of the Earth”

Water had turned into blood, frogs had infested every corner, all the dust of the earth had become gnats in all the land of Egypt, but Pharaoh’s heart was still hard.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.'” (Exo 8:20-22)

We, thankfully, live in a different era with no reason to expect blood to spout from our water fountains, frogs to fill our fridges, or swarms of flies to stop us in our tracks. But what is recorded in Exodus 8 has been preserved “that you may know.” Take a moment to think about that phrase. Though his power and presence may be manifested in different ways in our time, the point God was proving thousands of years ago is as relevant today as ever: “I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”

I AM … in the classroom, the locker room, the boardroom, the living room, and the bedroom.

I AM … 29,032′ above sea level on the summit of Mount Everest and 36,037′ feet below sea level in the depths of the Mariana Trench.

I AM … in the church building, on the hillside, in the corner office, the tiniest cubicle, and the street corner.

I AM … in the Oval Office, the palace of the Queen, the desert caves of the Middle East, and the most dense jungles of southeast Asia.

I AM … in the emergency room, the waiting room, the delivery room, and the funeral home.

I AM … in the light and in the dark, in public and in private, in town and out of town.

I AM … on the mountaintop best of days and in the valley of the shadow of death.

Pharaoh didn’t respect God’s presence or his power, and the plagues kept coming. Your name isn’t in Exodus 8, but it’s worth reading and remembering today, “that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”