What do parents have in common with Moses?
What do rebellious teens and addicts have in common with Pharaoh?
Moses had to convince Pharaoh that God was God. Of course this was done with God behind the whole plan. Story is in Exodus. Chapter 5 – 12 discuss the plagues.
How many plagues did the people endure until Pharaoh finally was convinced that God is God. At times, his people and his officials even tried to convince him. He kept calling on Moses to pray and relieve his misery and promising to let the people go and then he would not keep his promise.
If you are dealing with an addict or rebellious teen in your life, chances are they will lie to get what they want, making promises to change or that this will be the last time they will request help. They want you to rescue them from their misery. They fail to do as they promised and their heart is hard until they experience another plague. Then they are again vulnerable and seem remorseful of their behavior and ask for forgiveness and make another broken promise.
How many plagues will they have to experience to come to terms that God is God? What will they have to endure to humble themselves and submit to God? Everyone that loves them tries to convince them that they need to make changes in their life but nothing seems to get through. What will it take before they start to do things differently? What consequence will finally convince them that they need to change the way they are doing things?
If we are the ones dealing with the addict or rebellious teen, who can help us to show them that God is God? We need to go to God with each incident so that He can tell us what to do and how to deal with the addict or rebellious teen. We need to continue to return to God each and every time.