Isaiah 48:17 KJV ‘Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go’.

DAILY READING 3 John 1; Ezra 7-8; Psalm 94

In the Exodus  when the Israelites departed from Egypt their goal was the land of Canaan. In their urgency to get out of Egypt and escape Pharoah’s reach, there was a shorter route they could have taken; it was  a few days journey of not more than 200 miles. Yet Moses did not take this shortest route​ which led along the sandy coast—​it would have led straight through Philistia, enemy territory. The Bible says “The people would probably have repented when they saw war, and would have returned to Egypt.”

At the same time also Moses did not head across the vast center of the Sinai Peninsula, where intense heat baked the gravel and limestone plateau.  Rather, being instructed by God, Moses led the people south, down the narrow coastal plain. It was on this longer route that the people saw God’s wonders  as He led them through the Red sea, destroyed Pharaoh and his host, and brought them into the wilderness where they were taught the laws by Moses. The first camp was at Marah, where Jehovah made bitter water turn sweet.* After leaving Elim, the people murmured for food; God sent quail and then manna. At Rephidim, water was again an issue, attacking Amalekites were vanquished, and Moses’ father-in-law urged him to get help from capable men.​—Ex, chaps. 15-18.

Moses then led Israel toward the mountains farther south, camping at Mount Sinai. There God’s people received the Law, built the tabernacle, and offered sacrifices.

Indeed on this longer route the people saw God prove His faithfulness in meeting their needs and demands. However the Israelites, did not fully appreciate God’s choice of this route, nor submit to His good intentions for them on this path, so they continuously rebelled. As a result of their rebellion what could have been a few weeks journey of only about 240 miles, ended up taking them 40 years. For the older rebellious generation it became a journey of death..  .

The problem with this people was their wrong perception of God. They couldn’t see Him as the loving God who had kept covenant with their fathers by coming to bring them out of bondage and to take them to a good land. Their wrong image led to mistrust, which birthed rebellion that eventually destroyed them.

Isaiah 48:17 says ‘Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.’

To benefit in the journey of life you need to submit to God’s divine guidance. God is a loving Father who is committed to leading you aright. Trust Him as the good God who is intent on leading you on the right way. And one way to know God is through His Word. Through The Word we are able to see God’s goodness and His plan to give us a future and a hope. God’s desire is to give good things to His children.  If you cannot see this, you will keep wanting to go your own way, and eventually end up struggling on the journey of life. Understand God loves you, and whichever way He leads you, is the best way.

Do not try to lead yourself. Take the time to seek His counsel in all you do and no matter the route God takes you through, even if it is the longer route, trust that He is leading you to your own Canaan. Just trust and obey, and eventually you will come to your own land of milk and honey.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to trust you with the journey of my life, no matter how I feel, may I always submit to only your  guidance  in all that I do in Jesus Name.

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God protects and shields us when we are being led by Him. – WORDBITE 222.