I know that most people, Christian or not,
can recount the story of the Israelites crossing the red sea. It’s a story,
which if I’m being honest, becomes numb to my ears. I’m not amazed anymore
because I’ve heard the plot time and time again. It sounds so ridiculous to say
that... It just doesn’t amaze me anymore that God allowed the Israelites to
escape the Egyptians by walking on dry land through the sea. “Yea, I know. I’ve
heard” Tends to be my attitude. But today, by the grace of God, I was able to
once again hear this story with awe and wonder.
Let me just set the stage. The Israelites
have just escaped Egypt and are being led by a pillar of cloud by day and a
pillar of fie by night. A commentary that I read says this:
“Now
the interesting thing is that by far the closest route to Israel would be right
up the coast. It'd be the easiest way to go. Right through the land of the
Philistines, right on into the land. They could actually make the journey within
a week or so and be in the land. But God knew that they were not yet prepared.
That if the Philistines would come out to meet them with war, their faith in
God was not yet strong enough. Fear would grip their hearts; they would seek to
return to Egypt.
So
the wilderness experience is necessary in order that they might have the
experiences of trusting in God, learning what it is to have faith in God,
learning the power of God. So that when they did finally come into the land and
face the enemies, they would have great confidence and faith in God to deliver
the land into their hands. So we find the wilderness experiences are
experiences where they are learning how that God can meet their needs no matter
what they be. That God is sufficient to take care of their needs, and how that
God will answer and will respond to their prayers and to their needs.”
This is thought-provoking. So the journey
that took hundreds of years did not actually need to take that long? It’s
interesting that God chose to delay their entry into the Promised Land because
he knew they still had a lot to learn. It’s also interesting that God is more
concerned with the process of our sanctification instead of just immediate
results. By reading that passage, it seems that God is more concerned with
preparing their hearts through the journey in the wilderness than leading them
quickly and safely into the Promised Land with unchanged hearts.
There is no one like God. I can’t think of
anyone I know who would be able to withhold something good because they know
that by doing so, it will be best for us. We just don’t have that kind of
ability to comprehend and see past the current conditions. I’m so thankful that
God’s mind does not work like my mind.
When I read this story this morning, it
reminded me of my own journey through “the wilderness” last year. I can
remember planning to do my internship in Texas in the spring. Throughout the
process, I felt so reluctant to surrender that last semester of college to the
Lord. “But God, you just don’t know what
I need” were my thoughts. After a lot of wrestling, God finally gave me the
ability to pry my fingers from something that I held onto so tightly and say
“Thy will be done.”
It would be much easier had it ended there,
but God had something very different in mind. After all of this wrestling and
surrendering, I found out that I was missing 3 credits and could not do my
internship until I completed them. Hmm, didn’t see that one coming. Once again,
I found myself crying out to God. “I just
don’t understand… I’m trying to do what
you wanted” I pleaded.
Reading the account in Exodus I think my
response to the situation was very similar to the Israelites’ reaction: “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt
that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing
us out of Egypt?” They look around and noticed that they have mountains to
the left and right, the Red Sea in front of them, and the Egyptians closing in
behind them. My modern translation of this event goes something like “What the heck God? Are you serious right
now? We’ve been following your lead and you brought us here. Do you even know
what you’re doing?”
Thankfully God can confidently answer yes; I
do in fact know what I’m doing.
Now, if you haven’t heard the story and
you’re wondering what happens to the Israelites… They make it out alive by the
power and provision of God. He swallows up the entire Egyptian army into the
sea. As for the Israelites, God makes a way for them to pass through totally
unharmed while also giving them a lesson in faith. After Moses and the Israelites witness God’s
power, their response is worship.
A year later, I can look back and thank God
for withholding. Although the waiting felt frustrating and purposeless at the
time, now I thank God that he used that time to prepare me. Had I gone to Texas
when I thought it was right, I would not have experienced God’s provision in
the same ways. The church that blessed me so much during my time in Austin
wouldn’t have existed. I wouldn’t have
met the same students and worked with the same supervising teacher. I wouldn’t
have encountered the same people. I also probably wouldn’t have met Hunter.
All of this to say, I am just so thankful for
God’s timing. I am thankful that He leads us into impossible situations to show
us more of His glory. I am thankful that through faith, I can be confident of
He who goes before me and trust Him more than I can trust myself. I am thankful
that those moments often lead to worship and remind my soul of the powerful and
faithful God that I get to serve.
Now if you haven’t heard the story and you’re
wondering what happens to Christina…I am still walking through the wilderness.
Some days are filled with bursts of faith and other days are filled with bouts
of faithlessness. Throughout the journey, my emotions waver. Throughout the same
journey, God remains present and steadfast. Similar to the Israelites, I am so
quick to forget to trust the God that is leading me. There are a lot of details
that I’m uncertain about. I don’t know the route that I’ll take or how long the
journey will last. But I do know that I’ll make it to the Promised Land and
that one day it’ll all make sense. And I do know that this life will end in
worship... not only to God, but in front of God.
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