The Longer Road

Exodus 13:17-18 -   When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt."  But God led the people round by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.

You would have thought that 400 years of slavery would have been enough of a wait.  The Hebrews spent their days ….working hard to build cities for Pharaoh….so I am thinking…. they had not spent much time building their relationship with God. God saw this weakness in their newly freed hearts…and decided he must spend a little time teaching them who he was…by taking them the long way to the promised land of Canaan.

The phrase ‘lest the people repent…and return to Egypt’ sat very heavy on my mind. My understanding of repentance involves telling God I am sorry and turning from my sins. The idea of them changing their mind about their freedom just did not make sense to me. So I used the Wikipedia…and found that in the biblical Hebrew the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow). So if I change my thinking on that word to the true Hebrew context…it makes perfect sense that God sensed their weakness and fear of more war…and he protected them from it.

And since I have read this story at least once before…I know that God is not through judging Pharaoh…or showing the descendants of Abraham his power over the things in this world. God knows that Pharaoh is going to change his mind again….and chase them….right into the Jordan river…where God can drown Pharaoh and stop his threats for good.  But God is not through judging the hearts of the Israelites either…for he knows how they are going to turn on Moses…when life gets the least bit uncomfortable…or unpredictable.  So God takes them the route of a vast wilderness…so he has plenty of opportunities to show his power…and humble the people…to prove to their hearts that they are much more powerful against the world’s evil than they ever dreamed.

God takes us the long way sometimes.  He knows that he could take us from Egypt to Canaan in 10 days…but he chooses to make that trip a 40 year journey…complete with all we need to build our faith…to understand the meaning of humbleness…to equip us with the bible knowledge we need to do the task he has assigned us when we get to Canaan. God builds our strength slowly…and devises trials that will build our confidence in him.  And as I sit here and reflect on this concept…my only problem is that God has not told me my destination yet. I know in my heart that the last three years of my life anyway…have definitely been to build my faith…but for what…to do what…to go where?

Since God knows my every thought…I guess God sees that if I knew my destination…that I might try to use the technology available these days to just hop on a plane and go there in my own power….and forget that I must wait on him….to drown all my foes…to teach me how to eat his manna daily…to learn to pray day and night for guidance…to see the giants of the land of Canaan as conquerable…because he can help me do anything.

Oh father…you are so great!  I sit in awe and tears as I realize in this moment that you love me more because you make me wait. Thank you…thank you…and thank you again for holding my hand like a father protecting his kid ….who is trying to run across the street without looking. Oh how much more thankful I would be if I could see all the calamities you have prevented by taking me the longer route…by not revealing you purpose to me until my heart is ready to hear and obey you fully. Help me in this moment to realize that you have a plan…and a purpose for me…one to prosper me…and give me hope for my future….one that will glorify you…and bring more people to your kingdom. Give me ears to ears your directions for each day…so I can learn everything you want me to learn. Amen.