Category: Jesus And His Exodus

Psalm 77:19-20 (NIV) – Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock.

Even though God performed many miracles and led Israel out of slavery and into freedom, the Israelites often found themselves complaining.  This is partly because they viewed their time in the wilderness as aimlessly “wandering.”  But this was not the case.  Despite the circuitous route they took, God had a purpose and was on a mission.  What seemed like “wandering” was actually God’s desire to teach, test, and lead them, making sure their faith would hold up once they arrived.  He wanted them to be fit for their new destination.  In this way, the Psalmist gets it right when He acknowledges that even though God may have left no footprints, He is not far away.  He was shepherding and directing His people always!

If you are feeling a bit aimless and without direction, perhaps God is purposely not taking a direct route.  He may be taking the time to teach, test, and direct your steps to greater faith and trust in him.

Let us pray that God would set us free from “wandering” and into certainty that He is leading and shepherding us to greater faith and blessing.

– GW

Exodus 19:5 (NLT) – You will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth.

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) – You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

This is who we are – God’s “segulla” (treasured possession)!  But part of being God’s special and treasured people is that we have the privilege of sharing and showing others the goodness of God, the same goodness that has saved and delivered us!

Let us pray and ask God to help us fully live out our identity as God’s “segulla” by displaying the goodness of God to our friends, family members, coworkers, and students on our campuses.

Let us worship to the song “Louder” by Matt Redman.

– GW

Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT) – Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock…But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

The Gospel of Matthew includes many allusions to Exodus.  We see this in several of the “mountaintop” narratives, such as the Sermon on the Mount, the Transfiguration, and the Great Commission.  Here, in the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes the importance of obedience in the life of a true disciple.  Listening, hearing, and understanding is simply not enough.  A true disciple must be wise and not foolish.

“The ‘fool’ (transliterated ‘moron’) is defined as the obverse, namely, the one who hears but fails to practice Jesus’ teachings.  No one in Palestine would build a home on sand…In Psalms and Proverbs ‘fools’ are those who leave God out of their life.” [Obsborne, Exegetical Commentary on the NT, p. 276]

In Christ, we are equipped in every way to live wisely, actively choosing and inviting God into every aspect our lives.

Let us pray for the Spirit’s empowering to live a life of obedience, and worship to the song “Build My Life” by Housefires.

– GW

Exodus 19:4 (NIV) – I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Whether eagles actually do this or not, God uniquely carries us and draws us to Him. It is easy to view Exodus as God simply taking us from a place of slavery to the land of promise.  But it is so much more! One of God’s primary actions in Exodus is to bring us to Himself, and in the process, to form a people that will use their freedom to enjoy Him more and more.

Today, let us draw near to God and simply enjoy belonging to Him and Him alone.  May God’s Presence bring the rest and comfort that you need.

As we express our love for God and His nearness, let us also worship to the song “I Belong to You” by Jesus Culture.

– GW

Luke 9:30-31 (NLT) – Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus.

“When we read the story of the exodus, we are not just reading about some events that occurred in the distant past, but acquainting ourselves with patterns of divine redemption that are still being worked out in the world today.” [Alastair J. Roberts, 10 Things You Should Know about the Exodus, Crossway]

As you take time to reflect and remember all that we received from God, pray and ask Him to open your eyes to see how He is working in your life at this very moment!  Perhaps He is performing an Exodus miracle right now, orchestrating circumstances to bless you more, healing and forgiving you, or shepherding you into greater freedom so we can enjoy greater worship together!

Let us worship to the song “Jesus Saves“ by Elevation Music.

– GW