There is a reason

Call To Prayer

Title: There is a reason

By: Owusu Clifford S.

Date: 28/05/2022

 “Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.” Exodus 13:17-18 – 17

Sometimes, the journey will be long and the road will be rough. It may seem as though things are being difficult for no apparent reason, but there is a reason. In life, nobody prays for and wishes that struggles come their way, however, in this world full of evil, obstacles are bound to be in the way of the believer. One the uniqueness of the Bible stems from the fact that there is always an example to fall on and take inspiration from.

In today’s message, we will be considering why the Israelite’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land took longer than it should have been (could have been 40 days instead of 40 years). In our verse for today, we read why God took the Israelites through the wilderness instead of the land of the Philistines. God saw and knew that the tendency for the people to turn back into slavery and captivity in Egypt was high. Was it that they enjoyed being in slavery? Certainly not! However, humans are quick to forget previous hardships and are prone to return to the place that was not desirable, especially when a new challenge arises.

God emphasised that the journey through the wilderness would deter the Israelites from returning to Egypt should they encounter war on the way. But was it just war that could have made them return to Egypt? In the book of Exodus, there are numerous times the people complained about food and water and how they would have preferred to be in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-5). Personally, I believe that if the people could turn back, they would have gone back to Egypt. However, behind them was the Red Sea which they could part into two and walk on dry land as God did when they were leaving Egypt. Hence, they had little or no choice than to carry on. Though they lamented and murmured they still carried on.

Undoubtedly, the wilderness experience was a training for the Israelites, however, it was also to hinder the people from returning to Egypt in the face of adversity. The focal point of today’s message is that there is a reason why the journey is long and the road is rough for believers. My dear believer, there are lessons on the journey. There will be adversity. Hunger and thirst would set in at some point. However, all these help to build tenacity and spiritual capacity. Do not ignore the process, it is preparing you for the Promised Land. God knows, God sees and God is aware. Endure the process and when you get to the Promised Land you will understand why God allowed you to go through that rough road. God bless you!

Prayer:

Let us thank God for the answers to our prayers. Let us pray for the grace to embrace the harsh lessons that build us up spiritually for our God-given assignments.

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