God had somewhere new to take his people. It would be an amazing place, full of abundance and freedom. It would be so different from their current place, full of slavery and hardship.
God’s people cried out to God for help. He responded to their cries for deliverance from their slave masters. In God’s compassion and perfect timing He rescued them through His servant, Moses.
The Lord said to Moses, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land… So now, go. I am sending you…” (Exodus 3:7-10)
On the journey to their new land, they were faced with some big changes. Most of God’s people struggled with these changes. They forgot they could trust God when they faced new things. Those people ended up missing out on living in the glorious new land God had for them.
Let us all acknowledge for a moment how difficult change can be. But whatever difficulty change presents, it should never matter more than getting to the marvelous new place God has prepared. After all, a big aspect of our Christian walk is about change. We experience new birth upon salvation, we are given a new heart and spirit, and we walk out a new life in Jesus.
In fact, the Bible repeatedly teaches us that God likes to do new things and take us to new places. All the while, His character remains consistent. Another huge change for the Israelite people was their time in exile. Here God talks about how He will bring them back home:
I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way… (Isaiah 43:19)
How is it going as you navigate the changes that are part of the new place God is taking you? Likely you are not crying out to God to deliver you from slavery, but you probably have been crying out to Him about something. We can take a lesson from the Isrealites—despite the reality that change is hard, it’s not worth causing us to miss out on the glorious destination. I can’t wait to see where God will take you and take our church collectively. The best is yet to come!