This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16). Read on Shabbat, January 24, 2026 / 4 Shevat 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.
Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 10:1-2).
Parashat Bo brings the drama of deliverance to its decisive moment. Darkness covers Egypt, the firstborn are struck, and the night of Passover arrives. God acts with power and precision, revealing His authority over all nations and all false claims of power.
Yet woven into these acts of judgment is a strong emphasis on remembrance. God tells Moses that these events must be told to future generations, so that the story of redemption will shape identity and faith long after the moment has passed.
The instructions for Passover invite Israel into participation, not observation alone. Each household marks its doorway, eats in readiness, and prepares to depart. Freedom does not arrive passively. It calls for trust, obedience, and movement. God does not only rescue His people from slavery, He teaches them how to live as a redeemed people, marked by memory, gratitude, and obedience.
This portion reminds us that salvation carries responsibility. God’s mighty acts are not meant to be forgotten once danger passes. They are meant to be remembered, retold, and embodied in daily life. The rhythms of remembrance guard the heart from fear and forgetfulness. When God’s people remember where they came from, they are better equipped to walk faithfully into what lies ahead.
Some may be standing at the edge of change, uncertain about what freedom will require. Others may already be walking in new ground, tempted to forget the cost of deliverance. Parashat Bo speaks to both. God goes before His people, but He also calls them to carry the story with them. Freedom deepens when it is paired with remembrance and obedience.
As this Shabbat comes, consider what God has delivered you from and what He is leading you toward. Take time to recall His faithfulness and to share it, whether through prayer, conversation, or quiet reflection. Choose one way this week to live as someone who remembers God’s saving work and trusts His leading into the future.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for bringing light where there was darkness and freedom where there was bondage. Help me remember Your saving work and live with obedience and gratitude. May my life tell the story of Your faithfulness to generations to come. Amen.
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