God led the Israelites for 40 years

March 9

Read Nehemiah 9:9-12 and reflect on the passage.

The word “desert” implies barrenness, hostility, thirst, heat, danger, death. The name “God” suggests love, fullness, comfort, joy, growth, life. Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the desert? Why would God lead His people into a desert?

When God delivered His people from Egypt, He provided a way at the Red Sea, and drowned the Egyptian army; He made a name for Himself. He guided His people through the desert by a cloud and fire for 40 years, bringing glory to His name. If the way had been easy, who among the surrounding nations would have known or respected God? Who in Israel would have realized their continued dependence on the Lord and remained faithful?

Immediately prior to the desert experience, God revealed His presence and power in miraculous ways. They knew God was real, He loved them, and He would guide, grow, and sustain them.

The desert makes more sense when we realize that God’s concerned about growing His church and expanding His kingdom. We can only survive in the desert if we depend on the Lord. When others see us thriving there, they’ll know something is up. God is making a name for Himself through us and our stories.

Questions

1. When you walked through a barren, hostile, thirsty, dangerous place in your life, how did God comfort, grow, guide, and sustain you?

2. Who noticed? How did you give God glory?

Prayer

Lord, we know that you are God. We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. We depend on You. Use us for Your glory.

—Jane Bruns

Genesis 41:33-45

Joseph Finds Reward Through God Given Dreams

I have dreams of flying sometimes. I love it when I do. I feel amazing and free! Once in a very vivid dream I recall placing my shoes in my back pocket, leaping from the top of an offshore lighthouse and soaring over the water on a turbulent summer night. It was beyond wonderful. In time I started to lose altitude and became frightened I would fall into the depths of the ocean. As I pushed with my legs and turned slightly sideways in an attempt to ascend, I prayed, “Please God, let me get to shore.” I had full faith in my heart that he would not let me fall. 

I was lifted, guided to shore and then gently touched down on my feet. After a few strides I yanked the shoes from my pocket, put them on, and continued down the street. My heart was nearly bursting with happiness for two reasons. I had the opportunity to fly again, and my God had come through for me once more!

Current research indicates that dreams are the mind’s way of processing strong feelings and experiences. I love the feeling of flying- I experienced it once during the free-fall while sky-diving, and I am a Christ Follower. That explains my dream right, or should I question; “Is God trying to tell me to trust him more? Should I be taking more risks? Is he assuring me that he is always there for me? Was God the lighthouse, my beacon and though I left him he still loved me enough to save me?

In the case of the Pharaoh of Egypt, he was not able to make a connection to his dreams, so was eventually led to Joseph who had been known to interpret dreams in the past. Joseph made it clear to the Pharaoh that he had no power to decipher the meaning of his dreams. It was done by God. Never the less, Joseph was rewarded.

Genesis 41:39-40 Then the Pharoah said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

God, Joseph's beacon was finally calming the waters for him.  Joseph had waited for many years with patience and faith for the Lord to turn bad into good. And good it was! Joseph was adorned with robes of fine linen, given the Pharaoh's ring for his finger and a gold chain about his neck. Joseph rode in the chariot as second-in-command. Pharaoh respected Joseph's connection with God.

As we dream during sleep, daydream, or simply be still in hopes of understand God's will for us, there may be times we sense God is leading us in some way or sending us a message. When that happens the NIV Bible (The Journey A Bible For Seeking God and Understanding Life) recommends taking some specific steps;

Carefully research the issue (Proverbs 14:15)                                                                                      Ask God for Wisdom (James 1:5)

Seek out the counsel of advisers:  (Proverbs 15:22)

Make sure what you propose doesn't violate a scriptural command (Joshua 22:5)

Be sure your plans include God (Psalm 127:1 and Proverbs 3:5-6)   

I urge you to write down these verses and keep them in an easy to locate place. When you feel the Lord may be speaking to you, you will already be prepared to act.   

Read/Listen to Genesis 41:33-45 

        

A Spiritual Upgrade

”When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.” Acts 7:23-25

(To see today’s Bible reading, Acts 7:17-34, click here.)

Sometimes I think we relinquish to God our “what” much more quickly than our “how” and our “when.” We see what God wants and agree that it is good ... only to “take it from there” in a way that seems best to us. And as surely as adding two negatives results in a greater negative, our ways plus our timing equals disaster.

It seems that, even as a younger man, Moses had some sense of God's purpose for his life: to deliver Israel. But killing an Egyptian at age 40 was neither God's way nor his timing. No, he would take another 40 years to develop an older, wiser, less self-reliant Moses, an upgraded “Moses v80.0” who would hear God, trust God and obey God. And when it was God's time to lead his people out of captivity, he called Moses and led him down Exodus paths so amazing that they are still being retold to this day.

Submitting our “how” and “when” to God requires patience and trust. We tend to view patience as an ability to control our emotions – even if begrudgingly – until we get our way or at least a reasonably acceptable turn of events. But the older I get, the more I see patience as trusting, embracing and actually celebrating the wisdom of God’s timing ... even as it unfolds. For when we look back over our lives, we have to admit that God’s plan has always been better than ours, and his results much grander. Where we envision a stick figure, God always paints a masterpiece.

God has his plans and he delights in involving us in them. It is comforting to know that, even as God works around us, he also at work within us, equipping us, upgrading us and syncing us to his “what” ... his “how” ... and his “when.” And it’s always worth the wait.

Once we “get” that deep within our souls, we can be content, confident and joyful, trusting that God will always be as faithful as he has always been.

Matthew 2: 13-23

                                                                           Flight to Egypt

We care for and protect our children because we love them. We hover day and night, for they are innocent and precious to us, and are not aware of the harm that can come to them. Our babies at times seem to be on a mission to self destruct as they unknowingly reach for things that can burn or cut them, they will tumble to the ground if we do not catch them, they will go out in front of moving vehicles unaware of the danger and be crushed without our intervention. These are typical daily events in the life of a parent, and we naturally protect our children because they are just that….children.

In today’s reading, “Flight to Egypt,” Joseph certainly protects his infant, Jesus from the elements and typical baby dangers. He also shelters him from something far more sinister. The type of danger we never have to face. King Herod plans to search for and kill Jesus. Just think of the terror in knowing the king’s men could be bursting in any minute to rip your baby from your arms and violently take his life! 

“Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” (Matthew 2:13) Without hesitation, Joseph obeyed and escaped to safety with Mary and Joseph. The story goes on to tell of Herod’s anger and orders to have all boys two years and younger killed as not to miss Jesus. The horror of that time was prophesied in Jeremiah. After Herod’s death it seemed safe to return to Egypt, but Jesus’ family instead headed to the district of Galilee and settled in Nazareth, as Joseph was afraid to return to Israel since Herod’s son Arhelaus had taken his place. Jesus became a Nazarene.

The love and protective instinct of a father is boundless. That is not to say a father protects his child from hurt, disappointment, heartache, or pain, but that he watches over and allows such things in order to help his child grow and learn. We must take example from the Ultimate Father; as stated in the daily devotional Streams in the Desert, “We cannot see what loss, sorrow, and trials are accomplishing. We need only to trust. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way.”

Read/Listen to Matthew 2:13-23

All Israel to Egypt - Genesis 45:16 - 46:34

It is fascinating to look back at the lives of Jacob and Joseph, two ordinary men, chosen by God. God blesses them and many future generations.

Jacob did his share of rebellion and disobedience, confession and repentance. God’s special love for Jacob shows as we witness Him working through Jacob’s many human flaws to prepare him for greatness.

Joseph suffered misfortunes, anguish and loneliness, but he relied on God’s help in his troubles. We see Joseph faithful and strong, facing hardships, resisting temptation and offering forgiveness. We see God’s plan fulfilled. Joseph becomes a leader of a nation!

Did they understand and comprehend God's plan? I don’t think so, but both men remained faithful and trusted God. Their obedience allowed God to work his plan through them.

God spoke to Jacob, "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there." (v 46:3) Jacob came to Egypt, and with his sons settled in Goshen. There they grew into the nation that God had planned.

When I am in the midst of unsettling times, I can see and feel God's presence, but. I don’t always understand His plan. I am grateful that I don’t need to understand. I need to pray, listen, trust, obey, and rejoice in the comfort and peace of knowing it is God's plan. He is right by my side making it work out in spite of all my imperfections.

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Read the entire text for today, Genesis 45:16 - 46:34, on Biblegateway.