Signposts: From The Diary of a Former Slave II

The blood has been gone for a few days. The city is humming again, except for all the work projects that have stopped. The Egyptians stay away from us. Everyone is wondering whether the blood plague was the end of it. I already overhear some of my former masters whispering, “We’ll get them back and make sure they suffer.” The word on the street is that Moshe is going to the palace today to confront Pharaoh. We are all betting on whether Pharaoh will officially declare the end of the slavery. I don’t know about this “Let My people go,” business. Where will we go? Why would I want to go into the desert to serve God? Then what? No one knows what’s going on. There’s this weird noise coming from the Nile. Frogs! Millions of them! People are running. It’s unbelievable, but the frogs are staying away from the Jews and attacking the Egyptians. They’re swarming all over them, hopping through the windows and doors. The Egyptians are running into their homes and then running out. They have nowhere to run. The frogs are all over the Egyptians, but they are staying away from us! How does this happen? We are all standing around watching this bizarre scene. I don’t know whether the frog attack itself is the big miracle or the amazing fact that they do not even come near the Jews. How did Moshe do that? One guy next to me says, “Obviously, God is protecting us. He is protecting each one of us as individuals.” Why? Why would such a powerful God protect me, a slave? I don’t understand. Is it just because I am a descendant of Jacob? Does this guy really believe that God is paying attention to me as an individual? I understand that He wants to punish the Egyptians, but why is He protecting me? My children can’t stop talking about God’s love for us. They are speaking about the Jews as supermen. The kids have quickly forgotten that we were slaves just a few weeks ago. They are convinced that God will always make us feel so special. I see the “love,” but I also see His Power and anger. Which God will we be serving in the desert? I assume we’ll be going soon, because there is no way that the Egyptians will not give in right away. How could they not? I am not sure whether to be excited or scared of God: This is great, but what happens when He becomes angry with us.