Today’s Reading:
Exodus13:17-22
"I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So, He is the God of the living not the dead." (v.32 NLT)
The Israelites left Succoth and camped first at Etham before going toward Baal-zephon to camp by the sea (14:2). God miraculously brought them across the sea, into the Desert of Shur (15:22). After stopping at the oasis of Etim, the people moved into the Wilderness of Sin (16:1). God deliberately led them through the longer way to the Promised Land, for God said, “if the people are faced with battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” (vv. 17-18).
This was exactly what happened. Several occasions when the people experience any discomfort, they complained and turn against Moses. Example of this is after they cross the Red Sea and moved into the desert of Shur. They travelled in the desert for three days without water. The water at the oasis of Marah was too bitter to drink (Ex. 15). The people complained and turned against Moses. Also, when they were hungry and craving for meat, they blamed Moses for bringing them out of Egypt into the wilderness to let hunger kill them. And God daily rain manna for them (Numbers 11:4).
The same with us today, God does not always work in ways that seem best to us. At times we feel God is taking too long to intervene in a situation that is pressing to us. Instead of taking the Israelites along the short way to the Canaan, he took them through the long route to protect them from danger and discouragement. But God actually could be solving something out for our own good at the end. The Lord knows what He is doing because He has a perfect plan in view. He may be keeping us from things that could discourage us from backsliding in our Christian faith. Or he could be preparing for us things we may not envisage which he has planned for us, something beyond our reasoning or wisdom. God is God of all flesh, the Creator of heaven, the earth and everything in them, and He is in Control. He will take us through his plans a step at a time. The Lord went ahead of the Israelites and guided them during the day by a pillar of cloud and provided light at night with a pillar of fire (13:21-22). This allowed them to travel by day and night with God’s guidance. This reminds of this song we always sing:
The Lord knows the way through the wilderness,
All I have to do is to follow 2ce
Strength for today, is mine all the way
And all that I need for tomorrow,
My Lord knows the way through the Wilderness
All I have to do is to follow.
God alone is able to shepherd, guide and protect us through this dark, confused, wicked and
pothole filled world. And when we surrender to Him, He leads us on.
Olufunmilayo Titilola Adekusibe
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your presence around me, even when I am not aware of it, in Jesus name.
Father be a pillar of cloud over and around me and family by day and wall of fire by night, in Jesus name.
Father, help and encourage me to follow your leading in this wilderness of earth and to always trust your plans for my life in Jesus name.
Father make your church a citadel of holiness, purity and wonder here on earth and let your purpose for her be fulfilled, in Jesus name.
Let there be peace, harmony of purpose and progress in our nations, in Jesus name.
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