The easier way only seems right beloved. God knows the better way even if it may be longer. The second truth we can learn here is that God Himself leads us through the wilderness! How much so? Later in that same chapter as the key verses is this:
The Israelites left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people. -- Exodus 13: 20-22 (NLT)
Beloved you have to realize this right now. As you stood on the edge of the wilderness you find yourself in -- God went ahead of you. For the Israelites He constantly guided them. By day as a pillar of cloud and by night as a pillar of fire. This allowed them to move freely towards the Promised Land regardless of whether it was day or night. Regardless of whether it was light or dark. You might be saying to yourself why doesn't He do the same for us? He has done better than that! He has given you His own Spirit inside of you as your guide:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. -- John 16: 13 (NLT)
The Holy Spirit inside of us is our guide into all the truths we need in this world. He will tell us about the future. He will tell us what habits or sins need to die in the wilderness before we reach the Promised Land. He will tell us what relationships need to die before we can walk into the Promised Land God has for us. He will assure us that our past has been forgiven and our future provided for so we need to leave our guilt and fears in the wilderness. He will guide us into the Promised Land after we have stopped looking back to the slavery of Egypt as something to be admired or embraced.
And that leaves us with the final promise from the key verses today. God did not randomly decide when you were going to leave Egypt. He did not randomly decide when you were going to go through the wilderness. He only decided so when you were ready for the battle before you! God never said this was going to be easy but He has prepared you for the battle. He has armed you with all you need. The Holy Spirit within you as your guide. The Word of God as your sword to fight the lies of Satan. The fellowship of the saints to support you on your way to the Promised Land. Do not fear the wilderness. Do not bemoan the length of time you might be in it. And whatever you do, remember that leaving the brutal slavery behind will allow you to walk in the true freedom and power Christ died for you to have.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- February 21, 2012
