8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.” 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” 10 “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. (Exodus 8:8-10)
God’s amazing grace works wonderfully and yet we are not free of responsibility. Just like Pharaoh, God may grant us deliverance. But it would be up to us to decide when we would really want it. God does not force us to receive His gifts of grace, and especially deliverance, if we don’t really want it. God wants to help us, to show us His power and grace in times of need. But often we do not really ask. Or, when we ask, we do not really mean it. So God wants us to make up our minds, to ask because we really want His help. The reason is quite simple and straightforward: He wants us to have experiential knowledge of who He really is. He wants us to know Him as Lord of all. In other words, He wants us to know Him, not just know about Him. Knowing that there is God will not help us unless we really know Him personally. So why don’t you make up your mind today. Ask His help if you really need it. Why be prideful? Why pretend that all is well when it is not. Ask and you shall receive so that your joy may be complete.