42 Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the LORD for the generations to come.
So much of what we are supposed to do as believers is a reflection of what God does. We are to be like Him. God does many things. He reaches out to the poor, cares for the dying, and comforts kids. The list goes on and on. As the Lord is starting the yearly celebration of Passover He says they are to be like Him. He was vigilant, stayed alert, keep watch, and protected the Israelites. He stayed on the job. During the yearly remembrance of the event, the Israelites are to be vigilant as well. They are to be like God. Our lives are to reflect the character and nature of God. We are to be holy as He is holy. Our lives should not be polluted by anything that detracts from the reputation of the Lord. Our lives should reflect the Lord’s priorities. Our actions should be infused with the character of God. This is an impossible task for us. We are selfish and broken. We too often chose the wrong rather than the right. This bent toward evil started with those first choices by Adam and Eve. And apart for the work of Jesus in our lives, we continue to make selfish, self-centered choices. Occasionally we might venture an altruistic action, but that would be the exception rather than the rule. Each year on the night of Passover, the Israelites are to remember and mirror the actions of the Lord. Just as He stayed on His guard on behalf of the Israelites, so the Israelites are to stay on guard out of honor toward Him. This helps them remember that it was not their own might or influence that they escaped Egypt, but the grace of God at work. They would still be in Egypt if it were not for the direct hand of the Lord working on their behalf. It would be good for us to remember where we were before Jesus found us. What would our life had been like if we had stayed on that old path? Probably a train wreck! Mine would most certainly have been. But the grace of God interrupted my sinful course and here I am today.
The Arnold Journey 