13:3 So Moses said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever—the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand.
As I read that, I thought of the day I was saved - March 21, 1982. And that it also is a day to remember forever. Before I was married I would always take March 21st and spend the entire day with God - that is much harder to do with a family. But I need to get back to that - perhaps spending just the time while the house is quiet while everyone is gone.
The shortest route to the promised land was through Philistine territory, but God let them a different way. He had two purposes for that - one, He was afraid if they were confronted in battle by the Philistines they would turn around and go back; two, He would have to do another mighty deliverance in the way He was taking them to prove His power. He was leading them in such a way they would be trapped between the wilderness and the sea. Humanly speaking, it didn't make sense. But God calls me to trust Him. When I'm backed up against a wall, will I complain or will I trust that God will make a way? Here were Moses' words of faith to the people:
14:13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense.”
And that is exactly what God did. He sent a strong east wind to blow all night and blow a path through the sea. The bible says the water stood up as walls on either side and the sea bed dried. The people went across on dry land. When the Egyptians followed, God caused their chariot wheels to fall off before they could get to the other side and then Moses commanded the sea to rush back to it's place, destroying the entire army of Pharoah. When the people saw the mighty power of the Lord, they put their faith in Him.
But, things weren't always so 'miraculous'. Even though God was leading them with a pillar of fire - they could visually see that He was indeed leading them, they went three days without water and began to complain. Moses prayed to God, and He answered again by providing water through miraculous ways. It was here that God gave these instructions:
15:25 It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
Without going into details, the people did not learn from this. They grumbled and complained against Moses and Aaron, to which Moses replied:
16:7 In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” 8 Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”
I find myself following in their footsteps. How often do I 'grumble and complain' instead of looking to God in faith, knowing that He is faithful? Too often I am afraid. God, help me to not forget the lesson you are teaching me here - to trust You during the times of testing without complaining.
People tend not to like change. It is frightening and so we make any excuse possible to avoid it. We like the way things are even though God is leading us to better places.
ReplyDelete