Are We There Yet?

I admit it. I am not a big fan of asking for directions. I'm a guy.  I don't think it is a sign of weakness or an admission of being "geographically misplaced" but more as an inconvenient stop that would delay my getting back on the right track. I can usually get pretty close to what I am looking for, but, as they say, "the devil is in the details." These days I have my trusty smartphone with the mapping functions. I have used the GPS navigation in a vehicle before, but I am just not a fan of my car talking to me. Just give me a map. I imagine Moses could have delivered the children of Israel to the Promised Land sooner had he stopped and asked for directions.

Alright, the last sentence was meant to be a joke, but it is somewhat curious that an 11 day journey took 40 years to complete. Reading the Exodus story, there are many things going on during the travels (and travails, if you will) of this journey.

First, it had to be a logistical nightmare. Attempting to coordinate that many folks without the conveniences of modern communication is a task I would not want to be assigned.

Second, the people kept departing from God's ways. They would be given simple instructions and fail to complete them or totally disobey, or there would be infighting about who should be leading.

One of the ironies of the journey of Exodus is where they traveled. They seemed to be in the Wilderness of Zin (pronounced sin, ironic, no?) pretty often. Isn't that fitting. When we sin, we are lost in the wilderness trying to find our way. We will circle and circle, but never manage to get out on our own. Finally, God has to intervene to pull us out of sin.

I'm glad my journey through the Wilderness of Zin was not a full 40 years, though I have been know to make a left turn headed back in that direction if I am not diligently following the directions provided to me.  But God had a purpose for those 40 years for His people, which He tells them:

Deuteronomy 8:2 (KJV)

"And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no."

While the loops around the desert were to chastise their repeated disobedience (verse 8:5), there were other reasons:

* to humble them-I would image the feeling of overwhelming pride/conceit which could have arisen during the Exodus (immediately after departing anyway): God had just presented miraculous plagues to Egypt and He called you His people; you "borrowed" all kinds of precious metals from the Egyptians, knowing you would never be returning; and, God just crushed the Pharaoh's army under the waves of the Red Sea. Just seems to me that an Air of Superiority could develop.
* to prove them-many issues arose and individual, groups, and an ENTIRE generation were preened from the Children of Israel due to their disobedience, sin, or unbelief. God wanted those faithful followers to enter the Promised Land.
* to know what is in their hearts-in 40 years, people have a great opportunity to come to know God and His law (at the time, they were under the law not stating that we still live under the law), and God could gauge His people by the prolonged exposure to them, whether they would remain faithful and keep His commandments or not.

Number 3, is no dig on the Omnipotence or Omniscience (all powerful or all knowing) nature of God. He knew their heart, but going back to number 2, he was allowing them to prove it. Actions speak louder than words.

Remember, when you feel like you are stuck in a prolonged trial, God has a reason for it.  It could be one of the three above.  But when you finally stop wandering through the desert, you can enter the Promised Land.

I am...

I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10)

I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)

I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2)

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14)

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18)

I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16)

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5)

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the  world (1 John 4:4)

I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17)

I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17, 18)

I have the power over all the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17, 18; Luke 10:17, 19)

I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9, 10)

I have no lack, for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)

I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16)

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13)

I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)

I am God's child-for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23)

I am God's workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10)

I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am a spirit being-alive to God (Romans 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (2 Corinthians 4:4)

I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25)

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17)

I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37)

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11)

I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3, 4)

I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)

I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9)

I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19)

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13)

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)

I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12)

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7)

I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God's kingdom (Colossians 1:13)

I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13)

I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7)

I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9)

I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)

I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12)

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11)

I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7)

I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Philippians 3:14)

For God has not given [me] a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)

It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20)

Copyright © 2008 Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc.

Pssst...and so are YOU (if you want to be).