Reason #597
We are slowly but surely making our way through Exodus. The new testament writers were so incredibly detailed, and while I am all for the details, it just takes a little longer to get through the material. Anyway, we are to the part where Israel is in the wilderness. This is where they spend the majority of Exodus, and from the start they've been grumbling and whining and wishing they were back in captivity. We look at them and we think, "Are you people serious? You want to go back into bondage?" We saw what they came from, and everyone knows slavery is not the ideal lifestyle. Even the Israelites themselves cried out to God asking to be freed. They weren't enjoying their current situation. But, as with everything, we always look back and for some reason the past that seemed so bad doesn't look as dreary anymore.
They lived in Egypt for 430 years, and although they weren't slaves the entire time, that had been their home for 4 centuries. The ones that were originally planted in Egypt had it good. They didn't know slavery, the knew prosperity and favor. But all these Israelites knew was bondage. And so now God was freeing them from the very thing they'd asked to be released from. What's more is that God did incredibly miraculous things in order to free them. They walked right out of Israel basically as a victorious army, marched across the Red Sea while their enemy was wiped out, had food provided for them every single day, watched bitter water turn into drinking water, and saw water pour from a rock. Yet it wasn't enough for them. God was doing incredible things to bring them from bondage and deliver them into freedom, yet they saw no need to praise Him for His miracles. It wasn't what they "thought" it would be. It wasn't exactly how they wanted it. And because they had to be a little uncomfortable, because they couldn't have it their way, because they had to trust and depend on God for literally everything, they'd just assume go back to the very life they hated because at least they knew what to expect there. They were willing to trade in all the good things God was doing for them, all the good things they had been promised, for an easy and predictable life.
Sound familiar? Sound like someone you know? We aren't very far removed from Israel, are we? We cry out to go to release us from the sin that so easily entangles us. Change our lives, change our circumstances. Free us from all that is holding us down. We have gotten ourselves into a bind and we want God to get us out of it. And so He does. He listens to the cry of His children, to their desperate plea for freedom, and He beings to deliver us. We are delivered from addiction, from damaging relationships, from a sinful lifestyle, from greed, insecurity, bitterness, impurity and we get excited. Yay, God is finally getting us out of this. He is finally moving us forward and away from the very thing we hate. But it doesn't take long for us to become ungrateful. Because all of the sudden we realize that this is going to take some work on our part, too. We have to keep following Him into new and unchartered territory. We can't see where we are going. All of the sudden, the sin that had comforted us for so long is no longer there to feed our selfishness. We can't hide behind that label anymore because we asked to be a freed man, not a slave. We can't make excuses like we used to. We can't keep this little secret to ourselves. Now, we have to trust God, and trusting isn't always so easy. And so we long for the "good old days" when we didn't have to do this. We didn't have to be uncomfortable and challenged. Now that we think about, maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed. We want to go back because we've forgotten how bitter and hurtful that life was. We lived in it for so long that it's our default. Yet the Lord keeps leading us further and further away from it, and we are just tired. Tired of working, tired of trying, tired of trusting, and tired of following.
What if Israel had gone back? Do you think they would have really enjoying being back in bondage again? No, and neither would you. Because they were miserable there, and you were, too. And it takes these wilderness situations for us to realize that we can't do it on our own. We weren't intended to in the first place. Sure, it's not easy. But freedom takes work. I suppose the "free" part of it is kind of misleading. And so we see that God is taking care of Israel's every need, that He is guiding, protecting, and abiding with them, but they have a responsibility to keep moving forward and away from their old life. They have the responsibility of putting one tired foot in front of the other as they get closer and closer to freedom. And so the decision is made in the wilderness, will they move forward to freedom or go back to slavery?
Maybe you're in the wilderness, too. I know, it's not fun. But keep moving forward. And praise God for deliverance from the bondage that kept you from freedom. Praise Him for the miracles He is doing now, even if it doesn't look like what you expected. Because God didn't send His son so that we could have a happy, comfortable life wallowing around in our sin. He came to free us, to pull us out of bondage, and to give us a full life going forward. So don't try to look back because there's nothing back there for you, anyway. And if you do, which we all do at one point or another, be grateful that God has moved you forward and anticipate what He will do with you and for you as you move closer and closer to freedom.
#597 - For the miraculous things He does for us on our journey.
"With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells." - Exodus 14:13
They lived in Egypt for 430 years, and although they weren't slaves the entire time, that had been their home for 4 centuries. The ones that were originally planted in Egypt had it good. They didn't know slavery, the knew prosperity and favor. But all these Israelites knew was bondage. And so now God was freeing them from the very thing they'd asked to be released from. What's more is that God did incredibly miraculous things in order to free them. They walked right out of Israel basically as a victorious army, marched across the Red Sea while their enemy was wiped out, had food provided for them every single day, watched bitter water turn into drinking water, and saw water pour from a rock. Yet it wasn't enough for them. God was doing incredible things to bring them from bondage and deliver them into freedom, yet they saw no need to praise Him for His miracles. It wasn't what they "thought" it would be. It wasn't exactly how they wanted it. And because they had to be a little uncomfortable, because they couldn't have it their way, because they had to trust and depend on God for literally everything, they'd just assume go back to the very life they hated because at least they knew what to expect there. They were willing to trade in all the good things God was doing for them, all the good things they had been promised, for an easy and predictable life.
Sound familiar? Sound like someone you know? We aren't very far removed from Israel, are we? We cry out to go to release us from the sin that so easily entangles us. Change our lives, change our circumstances. Free us from all that is holding us down. We have gotten ourselves into a bind and we want God to get us out of it. And so He does. He listens to the cry of His children, to their desperate plea for freedom, and He beings to deliver us. We are delivered from addiction, from damaging relationships, from a sinful lifestyle, from greed, insecurity, bitterness, impurity and we get excited. Yay, God is finally getting us out of this. He is finally moving us forward and away from the very thing we hate. But it doesn't take long for us to become ungrateful. Because all of the sudden we realize that this is going to take some work on our part, too. We have to keep following Him into new and unchartered territory. We can't see where we are going. All of the sudden, the sin that had comforted us for so long is no longer there to feed our selfishness. We can't hide behind that label anymore because we asked to be a freed man, not a slave. We can't make excuses like we used to. We can't keep this little secret to ourselves. Now, we have to trust God, and trusting isn't always so easy. And so we long for the "good old days" when we didn't have to do this. We didn't have to be uncomfortable and challenged. Now that we think about, maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed. We want to go back because we've forgotten how bitter and hurtful that life was. We lived in it for so long that it's our default. Yet the Lord keeps leading us further and further away from it, and we are just tired. Tired of working, tired of trying, tired of trusting, and tired of following.
What if Israel had gone back? Do you think they would have really enjoying being back in bondage again? No, and neither would you. Because they were miserable there, and you were, too. And it takes these wilderness situations for us to realize that we can't do it on our own. We weren't intended to in the first place. Sure, it's not easy. But freedom takes work. I suppose the "free" part of it is kind of misleading. And so we see that God is taking care of Israel's every need, that He is guiding, protecting, and abiding with them, but they have a responsibility to keep moving forward and away from their old life. They have the responsibility of putting one tired foot in front of the other as they get closer and closer to freedom. And so the decision is made in the wilderness, will they move forward to freedom or go back to slavery?
Maybe you're in the wilderness, too. I know, it's not fun. But keep moving forward. And praise God for deliverance from the bondage that kept you from freedom. Praise Him for the miracles He is doing now, even if it doesn't look like what you expected. Because God didn't send His son so that we could have a happy, comfortable life wallowing around in our sin. He came to free us, to pull us out of bondage, and to give us a full life going forward. So don't try to look back because there's nothing back there for you, anyway. And if you do, which we all do at one point or another, be grateful that God has moved you forward and anticipate what He will do with you and for you as you move closer and closer to freedom.
#597 - For the miraculous things He does for us on our journey.
"With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells." - Exodus 14:13