No Shortcuts
Before reading, look at Exodus 13, but pay close attention to the concluding verses. Just for context, the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians and The Lord heard their cries and sent Moses to rescue His people (Exodus 3). To soften Pharaoh's heart to release the Israelites, The Lord sent a series of plagues to demonstrate His Sovereignty. The last plague, the killing of the first-born caused Pharaoh to finally agree to free the Israelites (Exodus 11).
Exodus 13 recounts what The Lord required the Israelites to do to commemorate and celebrate being saved from the Egyptians; specifically by the consecration of their first born. This ritual would serve as a reminder to the Israelites how The Lord brought them out of slavery and bondage. Continuing the practice for generations upon generations would also give them reason to explain what occurred in Egypt, in turn making The Lord known to their children.
So now that you have some context (Read the Book of Exodus to understand the story for yourself), let's get to the devotional.
Verses 17 and 18 says (with emphasis added):
17 So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the [d]Red Sea; the sons of Israel went up in battle array (orderly ranks, marching formation) out of the land of Egypt.
Upon first glance, these two verses might not explain much, but when you have walked this thing out with The Lord, you will see that there is so much said that can be applied to our walks with The Lord. The Lord did not take the Israelites through the land of the Philistines because He knew that they would be faced with obstacles that would cause them to lose faith. If they were to lose faith, they would have returned back to Egypt, back to their bondage, back to what The Lord had delivered them from. BUT, because The Lord knew all of this, He took them a complete opposite way, which would yield an increase in their faith, the entrance to their freedom, and the fruit of their deliverance. The route through the land of the Philistines might have been the easiest or most reasonable, but it was not the most profitable.
Now make this personal. Think about your life and the current season that you are in. Are you losing your patience, and expecting a shortcut or an easy way out? Are you hoping to quickly get out of your season and to a place of comfortability? Yea, I know, that was me too, but reading this has given me a different and much needed perspective. Let me tell you, there is no such thing as shortcuts in the Kingdom. If you’re looking for an easy route, I urge you to reevaluate your heart posture and read what is required of you from Lord Jesus Himself.
Know this: we serve an Omnipresent, Omniscience, and Omnipotent God. This means He is always present, all knowing, and all powerful. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). He knows more than we could ever know; why because He created us (Genesis 1) and knows our expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). He prepares our way to include everything we need, including the grace and mercy we need to live a fulfilling life that is worthy of being told “well done, good and faithful servant” (2 Corinthians 9:8, 2 Peter 1:3).
You see, The Lord knows what is required to happen for each and every one of us to come to the full knowledge of who He is. Your route might not be the easiest or shortest, but it NEEDS to happen. Think about this, if the Israelites went through the land of the Philistines, they would not have had to cross the Red Sea, which made for one of the most renowned Biblical stories. Parting the Red Sea changed the trajectory of the Israelites’ faith and has the same effect on us even today. Just in the next chapter, Exodus 14, when the Israelites saw the Egyptians wiped out behind them and the Red Sea parted for them, they reverenced The Lord and were in awe of what happened. If the Lord took them through the shorter route, they would have never gotten the revelation of who The Lord was. Chapter 14 ends with the Israelites reverencing and a faith in The Lord that was a direct result of going through the longer route.
James 1:2-4 says:
“Consider it nothing but joy, my [b]brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.”
That long route that you may be on is to produce endurance and test your faith to lead you to spiritual maturity, inner peace, a perfect result, a thorough work, developed faith and to lack nothing. I don't know about you but I need all of that..
I encourage you in your season that you understand that The Lord knows better for you than you do.. Let Him continue to finish the work that He started. It is for YOUR good. It might not feel like it, it might feel like you have hit a blank wall or you are burnt out or you are ready to give up but remember to take possession of your soul (conquer the desires of your flesh) through patience (Luke 21:9). We are promised the results of James 1:2-4 when we experience trials which include us being present in the whole journey, and not trying to cut it short.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for all that You are and all that You do. I am so grateful to serve the One True Wise and living God. I repent for being impatient and bind any spirits of pride in the name of Jesus. Please give me a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone to be receptive to Your will for my life. I ask that you walk with me and help me stay steadfast always abounding in the work of the Lord regardless of how long it may take.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen