When God takes us out of bondage, He never leaves us half way there, but takes us to a place of complete deliverance and restoration. When the Israelites fled Egypt, "By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people," Exodus 13:21-22. At the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land, they faced their familiar enemy-the enemy of their past. Pharaoh was gaining ground on them, and in their anxiety and fear they turned to Moses accusingly and said, "What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'" Exodus 14:11-12.
Haven't we felt like that at times, after having come to accept Jesus Christ as our personal LORD and Saviour, only to have a huge trial fall upon us? For many, living for Jesus has meant being ostracized from family members, ridiculed by friends, excluded from social activities or outwardly persecuted for their faith. Sometimes we stumble on our way to the Promised Land when we hear the roar of that familiar enemy behind us.
Moses said to the Egyptians, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fright for you; you need only to be still" Exodus 14:13-14. Let us fix our eyes on Him who is able to deliver us. If you are feeling discouraged, disillusioned or like giving up today, don't turn back to the familiar place of bondage for comfort. Put your trust in the LORD, He will never disappoint you. God was preparing the Israelites to witness one of the greatest acts of His might and power they had ever known-the parting of the Red Sea. "And when the Israelites saw the great power of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant," Exodus 14:30-31.
1 comment:
Thank you for that timely post! I truly needed this stark reminder of the awesome sovereign God we serve. I feel strengthened in my resolve to "put my trust in the LORD! forward ever, backward never, even as the Pharaoh of circumstances chase after my family relentlessly. I know God will never disappoint me(us). I also know that in this present trial just as God was preparing the Israelites to witness one of the greatest acts of His might and power they had ever known-the parting of the Red Sea;" God is also preparing my family and me to see "the great power of the LORD displayed," in and through our circumstances. God bless and keep you and Andrew
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