Sunday sermon message: Beware of counterfeit powers as they deceive through very subtle means - taken from the passage in Exodus about the plague of frogs upon the Egyptians because of Pharoah's very stubborn and hard-hearted nature against God and His people. Somewhere in there a passing joke was made that God knows just what to do in every circumstance. The explanation being that had the Pharoah and his people been Chinese or French, the rain of frogs may have been considered a great harvest, a wonderful blessing (aka frogs legs cuisine) instead of a plague.
Lo and behold, what did I see on television tonight? The story of Moses in Simpsons format! Totally blasphemous cartoon yet many are hooked to it and find it vastly entertaining. I'd say most of us who watch it don't take it seriously anyway. Well, they showed Lisa and that little be-spectacled nerd who has a crush on her (his name starts with "M"...ah! Millhouse) as Moses. They used their 'slave wages' or something to buy buckets of frogs and threw them onto Pharoah (Principal Skinner) in his pyramid via a hole they made in the roof.
The next scene is then of Pharoah enjoying a plate of frogs legs, commenting on the sweetness of his delightfully tasteful exquisite dish and how his foreign god must be blessing him for his cruelty to his slaves! I started thinking to myself that I hope people from church or others who do not know the biblical principals behind this historical story do not get somewhat deceived by this cartoon though subtle and trivial as it may seem. Cartoons like the Simpsons and South Park make God and Satan, heaven and hell laughable and I won't be surprised if kids grow up thinking it's all just a joke because of such influences. So many are already conditioned to thinking God is not real or is insignificant. I know I am guilty of thinking there is no rush to get things right, but if we continue to head down this route, we'll be the ones being laughed at by the devil for falling for his wily schemes!
On a different note, have I mentioned I like babies but am freaked out about the prospects of being a mother? I'm not getting any younger and well, it is a logical progression (of course far more than just that), but I've always had my fears about raising a child in a world full of evil (though I really should trust God to take care of everything as He has with my family and me) and worried how I'm going to turn out as a mother.
Lately, I have been observing friends fall pregnant and watch their child grow and blossom. Though I can see that each one adores their child(ren) and regards them as a great blessing from God far outweighing the pain and challenges, and how naturally the sacrificial love poured in, I'm very afraid and have been praying that God will prepare me for family life. There's so much self-centredness that I need God to work through. I keep asking Him not to let me have children for at least the first two years to really settle into marriage and have time alone with my life companion, and not to let the second child if there is to be one (hopefully not too many more either) come for at least another two years! I just need to stop my brain from running overtime.
