MAN, the wilderness was a horrible place to take the Israelites when they left Egypt wasn’t it? I mean, there had to be a better way, shorter way, easier path than that? What was God thinking? Actually, God WAS thinking. (He’s smart that way) He took the Israelites through the wilderness for a reason. BEYOND “So they would learn a lesson…”. Exodus 13:17 “God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promise Land.” Why? They weren’t ready for the battle with those GIANTS yet. God said “They might turn around and go back to Egypt.” The wilderness wasn’t the fastest, easiest, shortest, or most convenient way, but it was THE WAY. It was the best way God could have taken them. They didn’t see that. We don’t sometimes either do we? We’re just like the Israelites. “Why did you bring me into this wilderness to die of thirst?” Maybe, JUST MAYBE the other way(s) weren’t the best BUT this one is! Another place the Israelites came to some water at Marah but it was bitter, so they complained against God. “Why bring us here to die. We were better off in Egypt.” A few verses later, you know what they found? “After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.” God ALWAYS takes us the best way. If we’ll wait, and walk with Him we’ll eventually find the oasis. I am still learning this!
Following Christ,
Jeff
