The Hand of God

Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” Exodus 8:19

A few weeks back, while standing on my hands against the wall at my gym, I accidentally put my backside through the drywall. No one saw it happen, but it wasn’t something I could just walk away from, pretending it didn’t happen. It was only a matter of time until someone glanced over and saw that giant dent in the wall. It wasn’t hideable and that wall didn’t break itself. That hole was a giant sign saying, Scott was here. I left an indelible sign that pointed everyone to my involvement.

Something similar happened in today’s passage, though it didn’t involve dented drywall. In the story, God struck Egypt with a third plague – a swarm of gnats – as Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release the Hebrews. With the first two plagues, Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate the events, making them appear natural, not divine. With the gnats though, the magicians were unable to replicate the insects with their powers. Recognizing God’s hand in the plague, the magicians gave him credit – This is the finger of God. The gnats were an obvious sign that pointed to God.

I’m sometimes tempted to dismiss God’s hand in my life. While using drugs, I worried constantly that others would find out. So, when I was concerned that someone had discovered my secret, I’d pray, begging God to protect me. I’d promise that if he intervened, that I’d stop using drugs. When the crisis passed though, I told myself it wasn’t a miracle. God didn’t do this. It’s just how things worked out naturally.

In recovery now, as I tell others that God saved me from myself, giving me a new life, those who don’t believe may say something similar. God didn’t do this. You did. You pointed your life in a new direction and found recovery. That’s just how the world works. To the Christian though, God made the world to work the way it does and so, I see God’s hand everywhere. When I follow my self-destructive appetite, I find self-destruction. When I abandon my way for God’s, I stop self-destructing, finding a new life. Is that just the natural way of the world, or is it the hand of God? Yes, to both. It’s the natural order of things. because God made nature.

God is constantly speaking and working. Often though, we miss it, because we dismiss everyday events as ordinary and natural. If we truly want to see though, then we must open our eyes, praying for God to reveal himself to us. God, show me your hand in this. God’s hand is always present, even in our ordinary, everyday lives.