Good morning y’all!
Exodus chapter 13.
God speaks to the Israelites on how he will lead them out of Egypt into the Promised Land. Two things he has them to do so that they always remember how he delivered them.
1. They have to consecrate every first born male of a human and animal. They're to be set apart for the Lord. So when people ask why are you doing this, it will be a way to remind them of the great things God did in delivering them into the Promised Land.
2. Also they were to commemorate the day God delivered them from Egypt by consistently not eating yeast for one week, once a year, during one given month. When the Children ask why are we doing this then they can tell them the great work God did.
I think it is very important to not forget what the Lord has done for us. Sometimes I think of a miracle that God did for me and tell myself I will always trust God because I saw a great thing he did for me today. But when I get in a tough situation, I once again think God can't deliver me. I definitely need reminders to help me through tough situations. Whether it be something God did for me or testimony of what God did for somebody else.
And the second half of chapter 13 we see how God lead the Israelites out of Egypt buy a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of Fire by night. This way they could travel both days wherever God took them. Today God uses His Holy Spirit in leading our lives in the direction he wants us to go. The key is surrendering our wills for God's will. Are we willing to give up everything so Gods plan can be carried out? And not our own plan? We need to learn how to trust God wherever He takes us. You may seem as though God has abandoned you or lead you the wrong way, like the Israelites felt when they came to the Red Sea with nowhere to run from the Egyptians. God took a seemingly IMPOSSIBLE situation and made a way out – He parted the Red Sea. Don’t think that God can’t take our seemingly impossible situations and make a way!
I try to imagine that trip out of Egypt. If there were 600,000 men, conservative estimates with women and children number around two million. This would be an amazing task just to organize and lead them. The Promised Land would have been about a 10 day journey as the crow flies, but God had other plans with some lessons for them to learn along the way. He took them out of Egypt but now He needed to get Egypt (the world) out of them. Sound familiar? Our Lord is preparing a place for us and He is preparing us for the place. Yep- there are definitely hills, valleys, wilderness and giants in our path but He is with us. PTL!
I find it interesting that it had been 430 years and now the Israelites were finally leaving their homes in Goshen and doing so in a hurry, but yet Moses still remembered to take Joseph’s bones as had been promised many years before. May we honor those who have gone before us and most importantly honor the Lord. May we also remember to keep the promises that we have to fulfill in our lives, no matter how long it may take for other things to happen first in order to make it possible.
my 2 verses today;
first one..
‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
no matter how bad my circumstances are, I know the lord will lead me out of my slavery.
second;
“If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
So even after all they have been through, there was a chance they would return to Egypt if faced with a battle. ( i didnt know there were two ways for the Israelites to go, something i learned today)
My verse to focus on today is: The Lord went ahead of them to guide them.
The Lord is always there for us. He is always walking ahead of us and trying to guide us if we stop to listen to His voice. When we choose the Lord and we choose Christ we never walk alone in this fallen world. God leads the way, forging a path, protecting us, and preparing us for whatever challenges we may face. He knew the challenges the Israelites could face and so He set them on a new path.
In my life, I haven’t personally gone through as many tragedies and hardships that have made it difficult to trust God and His path for my life. I pray that no matter what circumstances we may face, we always remember God is there to lead us and guide us, all the days of our lives!