The Long Road Home:
He Knows Where You’ve Been
Exodus 13:17-18
17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
Israel had been in Egypt, at this point, for some 430 years. They had not been dragged there in chains. Rather, you’ll remember that a famine had forced their migration.
It was the story of Joseph. You remember . . . The dreamer. God had given him big dreams. But it seems he also had a big mouth. His father doting over him caused animus between he and his brothers. This ultimately would find Joseph in a pit, sold into slavery, in a palace, in prison, and finally at Pharaoh’s side. He remained true to God through it all – and, God was pleased and blessed Him. This blessing would lead to the deliverance of his brothers and family from the famine. So, they found themselves in Egypt. (That was a very quick and poor telling of the story. Maybe you’ll want to revisit it in your personal bible study time!)
Time passes, and things change. For the children of Israel, things begin to fall apart. Exodus 1:8-11 shows us how things can change. Out of fear – a pharaoh that had no loyalty to Joseph, didn’t even know of him – chose to enslave them. So, for years, for generations they are looked upon as inferior. They are no longer esteemed guests. Now they are despised, disgusting forced labor. Slaves.
Can you imagine the impact of those generations?
If you are told something enough – you begin to believe it. Whether it’s true or not, it becomes your truth. Propagandists know this. Our media knows this. I could illustrate this very simply: If you (mom and dad) tell your child repeatedly that they can’t do anything right . . . They’ll grow to believe it.
So, all those years they’re treated as inferior.
Their perspective is weakened.
Self-confidence was gone.
They had been broken.
Therefore, God would be the One to restore what the enemy had taken.
We don’t have enough time here to go through the story of Moses. However, it was all woven together to bring them out of bondage and into the promise of God. But as we said last week: When deliverance came, God didn’t take them on the shortest route.
He took them on the long road home.
Because He knew.
He knew where they had been, how they’d been affected, how they felt.
Do you realize it’s the same for us?
I know there are things that happen in our lives that we don’t understand. Some of us carry weight around that we have never told anyone. We’ve been wounded in ways that we think no one could understand. Or, even if they did it would change the way they felt about us.
I want you to know this:
God knows where you’ve been.
He knows how you’ve been affected.
He knows your greatest hurts.
And, because He’s good you can be sure that He will use all those things for your good.
But, most importantly, for His glory.
So, why not give it to Him.
Just trust Him.
He knows where you’ve been.
It doesn’t end there . . .
We’ll pick up the journey next week.
