A roundabout way…God’s detour for your life.

Exodus 13:17-18 “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, 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. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”  So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.”

Observation: God had just finished doing some of the most amazing works of His hand on this earth with the plagues and mass exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt. They had been slaves for 430 years! God worked over Pharoah until he let them go. It was the angel of death who took the first-born sons of Egypt. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We need to understand this: for 430 years, God’s chosen people had not seen God’s hand at work in this magnitude. And then Moses bursts on the scene and God rocks it out! It’s important to understand this because after all of His miracles, God knew that if , under extreme circumstances, (a battle) the Hebrews would turn around and run back to Egypt. After all they had seen with their own eyes, their faith was still not strong enough. God purposely sends them in a roundabout way towards the Red Sea because “they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”

Application: How many times have we been led in roundabout ways so that we too would not run back to our old ways if given the chance? When we are in a time of trial or a “wilderness” of our own, maybe we can be thankful that God leads us in a direction that does not allow us to turn back to our wicked ways. The wilderness experience (or a time of trial and suffering) is what God uses to strengthen our faith. That doesn’t mean we have to like it, it just means that God is very purposeful. With Him, there is no accidents. Every step He leads us in has meaning. And from we just read, when the wilderness experience seems to not have an escape plan, hopefully we are reminded of this story and can take at least a little peace and say “God, I don’t like it, but I know you have a plan, and it’s only the A plan, no plan B with you, so do your thing and get me out of here ASAP!” Even if our faith is rocked and we are scared, don’t forget that God’s chosen people were ready to turn around and put themselves back in slavery…after all they had seen.

Prayer: God, when things seem their worst, please remind me of how your hand works. The Israelites were told to remind their children of how amazing you are. Let me be reminded and let me remind my children. Thank you for taking me in a roundabout every once in a while, because even in that, you have purpose.