The Shortest Route
““God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land.”
Exodus 13:17 (NLT)
I love straight forward plans. When chaos enters in, it can really wind me up. And honestly, I can behave a bit like the Israelites did when Pharoah and his mighty army were determined to destroy them. They became a bunch of complainers! At my age, I don't verbalize my complaints as often, but my mind can create a long list within minutes. God continues to challenge me with this stinky, unattractive habit.
As the Israelites came upon the Red Sea, which looked impossible to cross, the chaos and doom must have run high. Life can sometimes leave us feeling desperate for a parting of our Red Sea.
In the past few weeks, three different friends have lost a parent and another has lost a son. My heart is heavy for them as they process grief and the challenging circumstances. Recently, some of my plans have gone off in a very different direction than I imagined, and I'm dealing with turmoil instead of my well-laid plans. If I’m willing to be transparent, several issues I’m facing do not have simple solutions. So, friend, I appreciate your prayers.
This morning, in my quiet time, I read a familiar story containing a favorite verse of mine: Exodus 14:14. (I have a habit of gravitating to one verse within a passage and meditating on it. Seeking the wisdom and application of a small section of the Bible always inspires me.) But this morning, I decided to look at the surrounding chapters and saw so many details in this dramatic story. This provided me with so much clarity and peace. Hopefully, this will be encouraging for you. I would love to hear from you if that's true.
Details in scripture, sometimes easy to overlook, can provide such wisdom and assurance in whatever we are walking through.
I invite you to take a few minutes, grab your Bible, and ask these questions. After pondering (or maybe even grabbing a pen and journaling your answers), read the beautiful “Song of Deliverance” Exodus 15:1-27. Moses wrote this just after God rescued the Israelites from the Egyptians.
Chapter 15 verses 1-3 gives God the praise He is worthy of. Let’s praise Him despite what we may be walking through right now.
Reflections
-Do we ever feel your life is going in circles?
13:17-18 Tells us God took the Israelites in a roundabout way, not the direct path.
-Do we recognize God's guidance during clarity and also in the dark seasons of life?
13:21 He guided them by day and provided a light at night, allowing them to keep moving.
-Do we look for situations to bring God glory for others to see?
14:4 God’s display is always for His glory.
-Do we feel the odds are against us and the mountain in front of us is overwhelming?
14:7 Pharoah’s army had 600 of Egypt's finest chariots and commanders.
-Do we recognize when it feels the wind blowing against us that God is at work making a way?
14:21 The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land.
-Do we recognize God can do the impossible?
14:29 God can make the water stand like a wall on both sides.
Hindsight is always revealing. We can all look back and see examples of when life takes us down a long and winding road, and it actually led to a better outcome. My desire is to always recognize that God is providing His guidance by day and a light in the night, leading us right where we need to go. This leads us to hold fast to our belief that God can always make a way, even when life is creating havoc.
Dear Lord, Your holy word never ceases to amaze me. Each time I turn to Your scriptures, I realize I am turning to You: releasing and surrendering the things that come my way bringing discouragement along. I need You every day and praise You for always being by my side– during times of clarity, chaos, and when the road appears dark. Today I pray for my friends walking through grief or troubling unknown circumstances. In Jesus name, Amen!
If this devotion has spoken to you, I would love to hear how by leaving a comment below or emailing me tracyarntzen@gmail.com.