Emotional Meditation—By Micah Siemens
“They struck down their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their land” (v. 33). The devastation continued as God touched the very things that represented Egypt’s fruitfulness and provision. What had grown and flourished was suddenly brought low. There are seasons when life can feel this way for us. Something we worked hard to build may suddenly be damaged. A plan we carefully cultivated may fall apart. A relationship, opportunity, source of income, or dream may be shaken in ways we never expected. When something we counted on is suddenly taken away, it is natural to ask why God allowed it. But Psalm 105 reminds us that God was not losing control in Egypt. He was accomplishing His purpose. Sometimes what looks like destruction from our limited perspective is part of a larger work that we cannot yet understand. If something you valued has been shaken, do not immediately conclude that your story is over. God sees what you cannot see. He knows what He is doing even when you cannot make sense of what has been lost.
“He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number” (v. 34). Once again, the psalm emphasizes God’s word and His authority. The Egyptians could not predict, prevent, or control what God was bringing upon their land. Their resources, power, and wisdom were not enough to stand against His command. This can speak deeply to us when circumstances seem to multiply faster than we can handle them. Sometimes one problem is followed by another until we begin to wonder how much more we can endure. A financial concern becomes a family concern. A disappointment is followed by another disappointment. One unanswered prayer seems to lead into another season of waiting. We may begin to feel surrounded by problems with no obvious way out. But the God who was sovereign over every plague has not changed. Your circumstances may seem to be multiplying, but God’s presence has not diminished. You may not have enough strength for everything that is coming, but you do not need to have strength for everything at once. Take today’s burden to God. Trust Him with tomorrow before tomorrow arrives. His grace will meet you where you are.
“They ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil” (v. 35). The locusts consumed what remained, leaving the land stripped of its produce. It is difficult to read such words without thinking about the pain of watching something disappear. There are moments when we feel as though life has consumed one thing after another. Perhaps you have prayed for restoration, but instead you have watched more things change. Perhaps you have experienced a season where nothing seems to be producing the way you hoped. You may look at your life and wonder what is left. Yet even when Egypt’s resources were being stripped away, God was moving His people toward freedom. Sometimes God is working toward a new beginning while we are still grieving what the old season has taken from us. We often want Him to restore everything exactly as it was, but God may have something different ahead. Do not assume that an empty place means a meaningless place. The Lord can bring purpose out of loss, hope out of disappointment, and new growth out of ground that looks barren. What feels empty today does not mean God has finished writing your story.
“Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood” (v. 36). The final plague described here reaches the deepest level of Egyptian strength and security. The firstborn represented the future, the inheritance, and the continuation of the family. The judgment was severe because the oppression of God’s people had been severe. For us, this passage is a sobering reminder that God is not indifferent to injustice. He sees suffering that people may ignore. He sees oppression that others may overlook. He sees the things done in darkness and the tears that are shed when no one else is watching. We may sometimes wonder whether God will ever make things right, especially when wrong seems to continue without consequence. But Scripture assures us that God sees, God remembers, and God acts according to His perfect wisdom and justice. We do not have to take ultimate vengeance into our own hands. We can entrust what we cannot resolve to the righteous Judge. If you are carrying the pain of something that has been deeply unfair, bring that pain honestly before God. He has not overlooked you, and He has not forgotten what happened.
Psalm 105:33-36 shows us a God who was moving through circumstances that looked devastating in order to accomplish deliverance for His people. Egypt was being stripped of its strength, but Israel was being prepared for freedom. The people of God may not have understood everything happening around them, but God’s purpose was unfolding. There may be moments in your life when you feel as though one thing after another is being taken away. You may wonder why God has allowed certain doors to close, why certain plans have failed, or why a season that once seemed fruitful has become so difficult. But do not assume that loss means God has stopped working. Sometimes He allows an old season to come to an end before He opens the way into something new. Sometimes He removes what we thought we needed because He is teaching us to depend more completely upon Him. And sometimes He is preparing a new beginning in a place where we can only see an ending. You may not understand what God is doing today, but you can trust the God who sees the whole story. Keep praying when you feel depleted. Keep believing when you feel surrounded by loss. Keep walking with Him when you cannot see what comes next. The God who turned Israel’s captivity toward deliverance is still able to bring new beginnings out of impossible circumstances. What looks like the end may be the place where God begins something you could never have imagined.
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