Trusting GOD in the WILDERNESS!
When God led
the children of Israel out of Egypt through Moses, the journey was meticulously
planned by God beforehand. Even though the children of Israel was not a
fighting force but consisted of 600,000 men on foot besides women, children and
a mixed multitude (Exodus 12:37-38), they were referred to as “the armies of the Lord” (Exodus 12:41b,
51b) and they went up in “orderly ranks”
out of Egypt (Exodus 13:18b). God did not allow the Israelites to go by the
land of the Philistines even though it was a shorter way, for God said “Lest perhaps the people change their minds
when they see war, and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea.
(Exodus 13:17-18a). There were many obstacles to be encountered in the
wilderness journey starting with the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the bitter waters
at Marah (Exodus 15:22-25). However, God went before them by day in a pillar of
cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light
(Exodus 13:21-22). We also read that the Angel of God was their navigator and
their protector as well (Exodus 14:19).
Just like
God chose to lead the Israelites through a longer route that protected, trained
and tested them, at times God also leads us through a longer route of trails
and difficulties. Do you feel impatient and discouraged when things don’t
happen the way we plan in our lives?
Just accept the path that God has placed us in, and be content with God’s
purpose in our lives. As Hebrews 12:1-2 exhorts us, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the
race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”.
Let us trust in God to lead us through in our wilderness journey into the Promised Land!
