This Torah Portion is titled “BO” – which means “come“. When you read the first verse it reflects the title.It says:  

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘[Come] to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart” (Exodus 10:1).

This portion reiterates the happenings of the ten plagues, focusing on the devastating tenth which was the slaying of the firstborn. Then the God of the Israelites gives the instructions on how to celebrate the Passover and implement the sacrifices and the laws for the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

In the end, after much commentary, we see that Pharaoh finally, finally agrees to ‘let His people go’ …. and they take their leave. With haste they take their leave and begin a journey unlike any other!

Now let’s bring it back home…where we live. Many of us feel as if we are living in Egypt (or maybe the twilight zone!) with all of the bizarre events that have taken place in the last several years. Hearts have been hardened and there seems to be no negotiating or even wiggle room left. What to do?

Well, as one who has been through >12< cycles of presidents … I literally sit shaking my head as I realize how much, well, let’s face it – I didn’t know. Even now, I sit in unbelief that our ‘Egypt‘ is just as corrupt and filthy as ‘that‘ Egypt. Will wonders never cease? It is so true….nothing new under the sun.

But we are not to be faint of heart! We are a strong and God-centered people who know what to do … but sometimes we are simply slow to act. It is time to go to our knees, to bear our souls and seek advise and help from the One above all.

So as Passover is quickly approaching let’s make this Feast Day a time to remember! We are instructed to begin examining our hearts and lives so let us each try to focus on areas in our lives that need to be ‘let go’.  Each and every one of us have ‘something‘ that needs to go! So let us “COME” to our King with clean hearts and hands and let us be ready to flee our personal Egypt and cross over and allow His Hand to cover us at the base of the mountain.

Sometimes….maybe all the time….the darkness has to get pretty dark so that the LIGHT is seen by all!

STAY FOCUSED – BE INTENTIONAL