Comings & Goings

 “And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is…of the LORD, who…delivered our households.’” Exodus 12:26-27. “When your children ask their fathers, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know…the LORD your God dried up the waters…until we had crossed over.’” Joshua 4:21-24

One of the greatest resource God has given us are those writers and researchers who set aside their own lives, and through blood, sweat and tears bring us Bible Studies to better understand how it relates to our lives. It is so easy to read the Bible in a vacuum of individual stories. But when these scholars weave the thread of God’s faithfulness through every story, we witness the Person instead of the events as in my Bible Study this morning. In both of our passages this morning, they reflect the two different movements of God. In Exodus, God delivered His children from something, wherein the movement of God in Joshua was delivering His children into something greater. Out of evil and captivity and into favor and freedom.

We all have stories to tell about the faithful movements of God across the years that we have lived. Just like the Israelites, God delivered me from a life of stagnant faith and into a life of a living relationship with Him. Like the Israelites, God delivered me from despair over my prodigal daughter into a life of gratitude and praise for her redeemed life. Like the Israelites God delivered me from secret spending into a life of marital reconciliation and forgiveness. ‘When God delivers you out of something, He’s not finished. He has something good and profitable He wants to deliver you to. You’re where God wants you for now and your life is bearing fruit. Difficulties still abound, of course, but the spiritual ground God has given you is fertile. You sow the seeds of His Word – sometimes with joy, sometimes with tears, but always with faith.’ The Quest, Beth Moore, p. 138.

Where are you? Are you waiting to be delivered from something or are you waiting for the movement of God to deliver you into something? For the person with a medical issue, God is moving towards healing you through His will. For the unemployed, God has delivered you from something and will carry you over into something better. For all of us, we are waiting on God to deliver us from Covid and other difficulties into a life full of health, gatherings, celebrations and beautiful new beginnings. So, don’t forget to tell your ‘from and into’ stories every chance you can about the faithful movements of God.