Welcome to the Wilderness

^" When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17

God chose the wilderness for the people of Israel.

Just like he chooses for us...a different path than we'd choose for ourselves. A path that is harder, lonelier and maybe even more costly than we'd like. A path... for the life of us, can't figure out .

Rest assured though, God knows what he's doing.

There are some things we don't know about oursleves until we are put in a position where we have to see God's power operating through us... our wilderness. A job loss, broken relationship, death of a loved one, etc... times in our life that don't make sense to us... all the while God has allowed or led us to this point to fully experience Him.

Job was a "blameless, upright man." Yet he experienced more heartache and agony than one person should. He had every right to be angry and frustrated with God. But what did he say in Job 42:5? "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you."

He never really experienced God until the hardship... his wilderness... when the things that were happening made no sense to him or anyone else. Yet, he realized God's plan and purpose was bigger than anyone could imagine. It's in our times in the wilderness that we really experience Christ like never before.


Back to the Isarealites...

The Israelite's had no idea that God was actually protecting them. Had they taken the shorter, easier route they would have run into war and been scared straight back to Egypt... their bondage, slavery.

God does the very same things for us. He sees the bigger picture. He knows whats best for us despite our whining and complaining because of our inconvenience.

We have 3 choices: 
-get scared and run back to our Egypt
-half hardheartedly follow Christ but whine and comlpain the whole time
-shut up and trust Him