“You split the sea so I could walk right through it. You drown my fears with perfect love.”
“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.” ?Exodus? ?13?:?17-18?
I heard this song the other day and have been listening to it over and over and over again. The whole song is so God breathed but that one line just blows me away. I have always loved the book of Exodus for many reasons but I think number one is because it shows us how God led the Israelites the long way to the Promised Land. God could do anything He wanted to. He could have picked up the Israelites and placed them in the Promised Land or He could have even made the Pharaoh have a change of heart and free them from slavery without having to take such a treacherous journey. He could have struck down Pharaoh like it was nothing. Instead, as most times in our own lives, God didn’t do things the easy way or the way that the Israelites would have liked for it to be done. So many times I have put God into a box and placed Him on a shelf and have only gotten Him down when I needed something accomplished in my life.
Instead of praying “your will be done” I have prayed a list and road map of how I want “your will to be done”. God is not a God who belongs in a box on the shelf. He is not a God that is here at my beckon call. He is not a God that is somewhere in the universe listening and waiting for my demands. In fact, I think the Lord chuckles at me during some of my prayers when I am not only telling Him but telling Him in a selfish, whiny voice what I want and when I want it. I have learned over the years of this Christian life that God does things His way and He does things in a way that is going to bring Him most glory and teach us the greatest lesson. If I were to have a relationship with God just for what’s in His hand and not for who He is then that is not a relationship at all. God has made me promises that I have yet to see. He has called me to things that I have yet to see come to pass. I have felt a calling on my life for missions for a long time and the Lord took me to a place where it seemed the furthest from missions that I could be and then finally, one day the Lord put that promised land in view and told me to keep trusting and to keep walking. The Israelites had a long journey of getting to that Promised Land. They had a lot of doubts, a lot of frustrations and a lot of bitterness towards Moses for leading them into the wilderness. I know a lot of people in my life who look at their lives and wonder “How in the world did I get here?” They wonder what God is doing and even sometimes where God is.
Now, don’t act like you have never had a plan for your own life. To go to college, get a job, get married and have kids. For some of us that happens and then for some of us we sit back and we wonder why it seems that their journey was so much shorter than the one that we are on. That they are already in their Promised Land and we can’t even see ours. Since when has life become a three step plan? Since when are we “doing well in life” because we are married right out of college with 2.5 kids and a good salary? Can I tell you that I have learned (as cheesy as this next statement is) that this Christian life is not about the destination. It isn’t about that Promised Land. It is all about the journey that is getting us there. The people that we impact along the way, the people that impact us, the ways that God shows up in our lives. Life isn’t about getting married and that being the final destination. It’s not about getting that promotion and that being the end. It isn’t about being healed from this or that. It’s not even about going on an 11 month mission trip around the world. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure that marriage and kids are great and we all want to see our friends and family healed from the awful diseases of this sinful world but what I want to see more is God being glorified through that marriage or through those kids or through that journey with cancer. I want to see God glorified through this World Race journey. The World Race isn’t my Promised Land; it is just a part of the journey to get there. Moses died before even entering into the Promised Land so I have to wonder; was the Promised Land really the point to the journey? Or was the point to the journey the journey itself? So many times I miss this huge lesson in this story. So many times I have sat back and thought “well, this isn’t the nations calling I thought the Lord had called me to”. So many times I’ve thought I would be working for a church, leading mission trips and telling people about the Gospel but instead the Lord has put me in an office in the county where I grew up. I’ve asked God what in the world He was doing like He was forgetting what He called me to. I’ve reminded God of my heart’s desires like He doesn’t already know. I’ve questioned God’s route to get me to where I feel like I should be like He didn’t create the route that I am on. Like He didn’t lead my feet in that direction.
I am blown away by the Lord’s leading in my life. When I read Exodus I am filled with faith that the Lord would care enough to take me the long journey to teach me what it is that he wants to teach me. That He would care enough to take me down a road that would require complete dependence on Him because otherwise I just might try to do it on my own turning my back on Him. He takes us the long way because we all know that the long road trips are when we learn the most about the other people in the car. It is where relationships are formed. You see the good, the bad and the ugly of that person and of yourself. If there are mishaps in the journey it makes you that much closer to the friends and family that you are traveling with. And just like a common road trip with friends and family the Lord takes us on the longest journey possible so that we can get to know Him all the more. So that we can build relationship with Him. So that we can sit next to Him and learn His wisdom and be encouraged and lifted up. I don’t know about you reading this but I love a good road trip that is full of good, uplifting conversation and laughter and of course, snacks. I am thankful that after all these years I am learning to embrace this journey and not just look forward to the Promised Land. So, grab you a good pillow and blanket, make a good mix CD and get ready for a wild ride with this Jesus! Let’s not be like the Israelites:
“So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become so discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.”
Exodus 6:9
Financial update: $3,225 towards my goal, my pack is ordered and on its way and T-shirts will be the fundraiser coming up in the next few days! WHAAATTTT?! I am so blown away and in awe of the Father and how He gives good gifts to His children. Don’t ever count this God out of the miracle working business and always, always trust in Him!! I can’t wait to tell the nations about how the Lord provided every cent of my trip because of so many faithful people believing in this God sized dream of mine!!!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my blog so you can get all the latest updates on the fundraisers that are coming because I have a few good ones up my sleeve and you can also click that SUPPORT button and give a little somethin’ somethin’ if you’d like. I can’t thank you people enough that are faithfully following this journey and praying me through it. You the real MVPs!
P.S A yard sale will also be coming up in the spring and I am willing to take the junk in your house off your hands
