God in His love and wisdom directed the Israelites away from Philistia, lest they see war and turn back to the land of bondage. They were just babes in their relationship with God. He lovingly brought them along consistently revealing His power in stages that their faith might be strong and sure in His guidance and direction, His power and sovereignty, His provision and protection. God kept them from a situation that might have caused them to disobey God. He knew their weak spiritual condition, their immaturity, their self reliant attitude. In His grace and mercy He led them in the way of the wilderness and showed them His powerful hand, His loving kindness, and demonstrated that He is a just God. The other way was much shorter but was not God’s choice for them. The fastest way or convenient way is not always God’s way. He is always working something on our behalf. Let us trust Him and follow His lead.
God was establishing a track record. It would do us a great deal of good to regularly look back at the track record of God in our lives. To remember what God has brought us through and how He did it. To meditate on how He loves us and has directed us down roads that led to our growth and full dependence upon Him. To consider how He has never let us down but quite the contrary.
Let us launch into our day with faith and trust in what He has planned for us, what He is going to do in us and through us, and the route He is going to take us for His glory!
-John
Leave a Reply