The path to the land of abundance lay ahead–easily navigated and under the protection of the King. Yet, the people chose to wander aimlessly–the brown of the desert soiling their feet just as their complaints marred that day’s praises to the God of Israel. And like a low-hanging curtain of smog restricting the full scope of a city’s skyline, the limitless sand, rock, and mountain seemed to repress the beauty and hope of God’s promise to his people. You remember the one, don’t one? God had seen the oppression and enslavement. God heard the groaning and crying. And God promised to deliver the Suffering Ones to a new land…a new home…a new hope.
But, the blistering heat of the sun penetrated flesh and bone. Parched lips yearned for the feel of sleek relief rolling across mouth and tongue while complaints poured from them as easily as a flash flood racing through the wasteland.
The people had forgotten–or, at least failed to remember–they were free! No longer slaves…cowering in fear of the coming day, uncertain of survival, constrained by unbidden circumstances.
Free! Free to worship…to dance…to dream.
Wouldn’t it seem that with a promise like the one God pronounced, the people would have continued to rejoice? Celebrate? Hope? Didn’t the God of heaven pronounce that he would “bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey”?
Still, God’s own children grumbled in their newfound freedom. Unhappy in their current circumstances, men and women turned away from the hope of a soon-to-be-tomorrow to a here-and-now reality. They gave up their leader for a party, the true God for a Guernsey, and a quick trip to the “land of milk and honey” for forty years of meaningless meandering.
If I’m honest, I recognize myself in the story. Maybe you, too, see yourself there–feet burning as you tread across the barren land. If only we had stayed behind! Egypt wasn’t wonderful, but we would enjoy a draught of water from the well and a bed of reeds to lie upon.
My story is a bit different, of course. This walk…this journey as a Christian is harder than I’d hoped. Sometimes, living like the world–like Egypt of old–appeals. Surrounded by the pollution of worldly living, it’s easy to bend low for a sip–just once.
Enjoying one last drink. Flirting with the boss. Watching barely concealed porn in the form of a newly released movie as reflection of social norms. Intentionally allowing harmful words to wound another. And the list continues for each of us…our Egypt.
We’ve all succumbed to Egypt…to ourselves. But God’s promise is still as true for us as it was for His chosen people. Stay the course, dear Friend, whether you are on the desert road or in an abundant land. We have been freed to look forward to an internal inheritance! We have received Jesus Christ himself for both here-and-now and our soon-to-be Forever.
Scripture for Reflection
…we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14)
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Col. 1:11-13)
