Tag Archives: the exodus

January 20
Leave a comment
Uncategorized

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.  For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’  So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.  The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.”  (Exodus 13:17-18, NIV)

Sometimes, God chooses for us the longer path, not because He wants to inconvenience us or to delay our progress, but because of perils unseen, unknown, or unappreciated.  In the case of the Israelites, they “went up out of Egypt ready for battle,” but they were in no way ready to take-on the mighty Philistines.

So, do not fret the fact that the path to your desired goal may be lengthened; or the fact that your many preparations may go untapped.  However, be sure of your relationship with your heavenly Father and always trust in His all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful nature.  These qualities benefit us when we walk with God.  – Luther

Tagged , , , ,
April 13
Leave a comment
Uncategorized

“These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): The five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.  They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.”  (Judges 3:1-4, NIV)
In the life of a disciple of Jesus, even one’s enemies are a part of God’s plan.
In today’s scripture reading from the book of Judges, enemies existed to teach the children of the Exodus how to defend themselves, and to test their devotion to God. (Please see Judges 2:20-22.)
Today, our biggest threat is not the sword (although physical threats do, indeed, exist).  Instead, our biggest threats are all of the influences and agents that oppose the Spirit of God within us.  Even here we must pray for our enemies as we utilize the weapons of the Spirit, which are: Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God.
So, do not curse your enemies.  Pray for them.  Resist them with the weapons of the Spirit, which alone are adequate for spiritual warfare.  – Luther
Tagged , , , ,
January 24
Leave a comment
Uncategorized

“Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.” (Exodus 9:20-21, NIV)

Today’s scripture from the account of God’s liberation of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt serves to remind us of two critically important things: (1) God’s invitation to life and salvation is for everyone; and (2) acceptance of that invitation through obedience leads to life, while the refusal of that invitation through disobedience leads to destruction.

The disciple of Jesus does well to remember that God loves all of His creatures, and the measure of that love is the extent to which God goes to provide the alternative to our certain destruction and death.  The key to life is our acceptance of God’s way through obedience, as was the case with the Egyptians who chose to obey God by doing a singular, common act: Recalling their slaves and the livestock to the shelters for refuge from the hailstorm they believed was coming.

Never underestimate the power of a singular, seemingly common, act of godly obedience.  – Luther

Tagged , , ,
Newer posts →