Not a hoof will be left behind as I ABAD God!

I have a confession. I wrote in my Bible this week! I underlined a scripture that really, really hit me hard as a Word from God. OK, remember when I blogged about not ever writing in my Bible... This first for me was so profound I cried as I did it. So yeah that may sound stupid to you, but it is just a real first for me. The words I underlined were here: Exodus 10:26  Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD.” So you may ask, "What is so important about those 8 words?" Well I'll explain and maybe you too will find the verse and underline it.

All through this book we read about God bringing His people out of bondage. Now isn't this what He wants for us as well-- to bring us out of bondage? Anyhow, if you read through this book, God tells Pharaoh exactly why He want His people free.  He wants them free not because He loves them, or because they are special, or because they have a goal He wants them to accomplish... He wants them free so they can worship Him. Now there are several Hebrew words for worship:

A. Hebrew word shachah - "bowing down before an object of honor"

Neh. 8:6 - Israelites "bowed low and worshipped the Lord"
Ps. 95:6 - "let us worship and bow down"

B. Hebrew word abad - "service or work for God"
Deut. 6:13 - "fear the Lord your God and worship Him"
Ps. 2:11 - "Worship the Lord with reverence"

C. Hebrew word segid - "showing respect" or "doing homage"
Dan. 3:5-18 - "worship the golden image"

During our morning devotions with Kelly Minter at Deeper Still on Saturday she pointed this out. She also pointed out (and I have researched to make sure!) that the word used in Exodus in the instances where God tells Pharaoh to let His people go so that they may worship Him in the wilderness is the word abad. He wants them to serve and work for Him not for whom holds them in bondage (Pharaoh). You see God knew that they could not abad Him while they were in slavery-- they could not serve two masters.

So God told Pharaoh to let His people go so that they may work for and serve Him instead. Now Pharaoh I imagine would have understood this (maybe not). As we read about these encounters with Pharaoh and Moses and God, we read that Pharaoh tries to control God's people even in allowing them to abad God. BUT God says no. First Pharaoh says that they can go, but puts a leash on them and says they cannot go too far. He also tries to limit them by allowing only the men to go and finally all but the livestock. Here God puts His foot down. He says NO! I want my people to abad me with all they possess. Not a hoof is to be left behind.

Get that? Get the importance of these 8 words in our lives? Not a hoof is to be left behind. God wants us out of the bondage to sin and he doesn't want a hoof left behind. He wants all we have, think, feel, desire to be with us as we commit to abad Him. He wants us to serve and work for Him and Him alone, and not just on certain days or in certain places, and not with all but a few items we leave behind, and not with just our brothers in Christ, no, but with all we have and are, and in every place we go; we are not to go back.

So this verse is pinnacle as we follow Christ in service to God. Maybe you can say, yeah I already do that and this verse is not that relevant to me, but I cannot. I know I do hold back. I hold back often times if not all times with a spirit of fear. What will people think, who will I offend, what will this cost, how could I do that with my limitations, how do I know this is the right thing to do...?

So from now on, not a hoof will be left behind!