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58_Beware of half-measures

Ex 8:24,25 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”

Picture a bird in a cage. Imagine the captor taking the cage outside and leaving the door wide open, knowing that there is a string attached to the bird’s leg. The bird feels the call of freedom, hops out of the cage, spreads its wings, and tries to fly towards the open sky. But the cruel string abruptly halts its flight. The door is open, but it is still bound to the cage.

This vivid picture reflects Pharaoh’s behavior when God commanded him to let Israel go. Moses carried a clear command from God as he stood before Pharaoh: “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.” This command is layered with divine truths. First, the Israelites did not belong to Pharaoh, for they were bound by covenant to the Lord. Second, their release was a divine decree from the King of Heaven to the king of Egypt. Third, everything the Israelites possessed—family, livestock, and lives—was wholly devoted to God, and could not be left behind. Lastly, they could not worship God in Egypt, where cattle were looked down upon. Only outside it, in the wilderness, could they sacrifice freely to the Lord.

At first, Pharaoh refused point-blank to let them go. After the plague of flies, Pharaoh conceded their claim slightly: “You may go, but don’t go very far.” Later, as hail destroyed the land, he made another false promise to let them go. The next concession in the face of God’s power was to let the Israelites worship God but only within Egypt’s borders. Still later, when locusts threatened to consume Egypt, Pharaoh’s servants begged him to relent. His response was permission for only the men to leave. Later, he offered to let the men go, while the women, children, and livestock remained in Egypt. By the time darkness engulfed Egypt, Pharaoh grudgingly agreed to let the families go but demanded the livestock stay behind.

God’s claim over His people was absolute. He had a right to their worship, their separation, and their service. But Pharaoh, a man entrenched in pride and power, sought to bargain with God. Each compromise was Pharaoh’s attempt to retain control, even as God displayed His unmatched power. Pharaoh cunningly designed an illusion of freedom while keeping the Israelites tethered to his bondage.

Pharaoh’s half-measures reflect our enemy’s mode of operation. Satan doesn’t always block us outright from worshiping God; instead, he offers compromises. He persuades us that we can truly worship God with strings attached. Like Pharaoh holding back the livestock, the enemy tempts us to hold something back from God. He reassures us that we can be enslaved in some areas while professing freedom in Christ. He whispers, “Go ahead and serve God, but stay tied to your comfort, career, ambitions, or possessions.” But as Moses insisted, “Not a hoof shall be left behind.” (Exodus 10:26). God demands everything, not in harshness, but to give us complete freedom. He leaves no room for bondage.

But God does not accept half-hearted obedience. Partial bondage is still bondage. Throughout Scripture, God calls for complete devotion. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The word “all” is crucial. It leaves no room for divided loyalty. Where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also.

In the letters to the seven churches, the Lord rebuked the church in Laodicea for being lukewarm—neither hot nor cold. He declared that he would completely reject them because of their half-heartedness—spit them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:15-16). The Lord detests half-measures, for they reveal divided hearts, unwilling to fully surrender to His will.

The Lord calls for total surrender. Since death is the most complete separation possible, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. (Colossians 3:5). The word “all” in Scripture’s repeated calls to holiness emphasize that it’s either all or nothing with God.

The Lord illustrated this in the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. The man who discovered the treasure sold everything he had to obtain the field. He gained everything by this transaction, for the treasure far surpassed anything he gave up. Those who taste the greatness of God’s love are more than willing to give up everything for his sake. All else is a loss for us when set against the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8).

The challenge is clear: will we give God a blank sheet where he can write His will for our lives? Or will we cling to control, holding on to our plans, possessions, and preferences? The strings tied to our lives betray our lack of trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty. Partial obedience leads to divided hearts that never experience the joy of knowing and serving God.

The paradox of the gospel is that true freedom comes only when we give everything to God. When we let go of the strings, we find the fullness of life in Him. Surrender brings rich reward. The Lord promised, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25).

This story from Exodus, should lead to an examination of our hearts. Do we settle for half-measures in our obedience towards God? Perhaps we surrender our Sundays to worship God but devote our weekdays to please ourselves. Or maybe we renounce certain sins while excusing others as minor flaws. The enemy uses strings to tether us to old habits, fears, or desires? The Lord calls us to cut those strings and be free. The Israelites could not serve God while remaining in Egypt; neither can we serve God while yoked to the world.

In the new Jerusalem Revelation 21:27 declares, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” May we echo the cry of Moses: “Not a hoof shall be left behind.” Let us be among those who hold nothing back, and who follow the Lord with undivided hearts, trusting Him to lead us into the fullness of life and embrace what he has prepared for us. God bless.