One More Night With the Frogs

                Almost every evening when I water tomato plants, I spot a toad. This summer affords more toad sightings than in past years. Each time I glimpse a hopping toad, I think of Hoyt Aduddell preaching, “One More Night with the Frogs.”

                Just a quick amphibian lesson seems appropriate. To my surprise, the toad is a type of frog (order of Anura), according to scientific taxonomy, whereas colloquial categorization never places the toad family in the frog order. Toads (family bufonidae) have shorter legs than frogs (family ranidae). The toad has a bumpier skin than the smooth-skinned frog. One final fact I learned contrasts the eggs of toads being laid in long strands whereas frogs lay eggs in clusters.

                I first heard Brother Hoyt’s name when Larry Wilson came to Ralston Baptist Church in consideration as pastor. Larry had no pastoral experience, but his well-prepared sermons belied his inexperience as a pastor. In the church’s inquiry time, we learned Larry was committed to preparation and planned to dedicate each weekday morning to Bible study and sermon preparation. Finally, one of Larry’s greatest recommendations came from Hoyt Aduddell, his father-in-law who later served as the president of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

                We came to love Brother Larry, Debbie, his wife, and his children, Kristen and Brian. Larry prepared stellar Bible studies even for midweek Wednesday night Bible studies. I still find myself returning, in my mind, to his teaching of the book of Judges, especially in this present era. Each week, he reminded us Judges chronicled the nation of Israel cyclically departing from serving God, God sending judgment, the nation of Israel crying out to God for deliverance, and God answering by raising up a deliverer from the nation. Finally, he taught us that each cycle found the nation sinking a bit lower in their societal morality until an apt description of the Israeli people closed the book of Judges with these words, Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Larry, Debbie, Kristen, and Brian Wilson 
taken from my mother's photo collection.

                Then our church received the privilege of Brother Hoyt Aduddell’s agreement to preach one of the first revivals for his young son-in-law. Every night Brother Hoyt preached God’s word, as my dad would say, “without fear or favor of man.” The most memorable message he delivered during his week in Ralston was entitled “One More Night with the Frogs” based on Exodus 8. Brother Hoyt described vividly the presence of frogs in every room of the Egyptian homes, being found on all Egyptians, whether servants or people of means. He based his account on the scripture delineating frogs in their ovens and kneading bowls. Brother Hoyt’s listeners could visualize the unending stream of frogs emerging from the Nile. Ironically, the Egyptians worshipped Heqet, the frog-appearing goddess of fertility from the Nile. Pharaoh, the obstinate leader of Egypt, begged Moses to ask God to remove the frogs from their land. When Moses said, “Accept the honor of saying when…” and Pharaoh responded “Tomorrow.”

Hoyt Aduddell

                Then Brother Hoyt Aduddell eloquently compared people of the late 1980s, with the Pharaoh of ancient days. One of the most frequently heard responses then and even now is much like Pharaoh’s answer of procrastination. Often the reply is “some other time” or “later” or “not now.” (The still photo of Hoyt Aduddell taken from  a YouTube video.)

                Both in Psalm 95:7-8 and Hebrews 3:7-8, God inspired these words to be written in His word:

“Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion…”

As Brother Hoyt admonished in his message, if we read or hear what He wants us to do, whether to receive the salvation only Jesus can give or as a believer, the Holy Spirit gently speaks of something we are to do for His work here on earth, we need to respond, “I will today.”

               

One of the many toads I have spotted this summer.

When you see a frog or toad, see it as a reminder to obey immediately and not follow Pharaoh’s example of procrastination. Here is Pharaoh’s eerie response after seeing the heaps of stinking dead frogs from Exodus 8:15 –

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.