SHORTCUTS

Ex 13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: Ex 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

When I was in Bible school I had a roommate whose grandfather had a cabin on the Enangua River near Buffalo, Missouri. Many weekends we would leave school on Friday afternoon and spend the night fishing and studying at “grandpa’s cabin” and making it back for lights out on Saturday night.

As time went on other fellow classmates were invited to join us and we had a grand time enjoying the woods, working on the cabin, mowing the landscape and fixing up our little “hide-away.” Everyone was respectful and appreciative of the privilege and opportunity to go there. Grandpa was no longer able to physically take care of the property so it worked out well for all of us.

One weekend my roommate was not able to go because of work. We were so disappointed that the break in our week filled with monotony was not going to happen. But my roommate asked grandpa if it would alright for us to go without him. We were granted permission, so myself and two friends headed off for our weekend of relaxation. One of our friends offered to drive so we piled into his car with books and fishing gear and off we went. We had been on the road for a half hour when I noticed nothing seemed familiar. I said to the driver that we must be off route. He assured me that he had learned a “shortcut” to grandpa’s cabin. We traveled another half hour when it became obvious that we were lost. Another hour took us farther away from our appointed destination. Our weekend was ruined because someone decided to take a “shortcut.”

In our text we are told that God would not lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and directly into the land of promise because they were not ready for war. They would have fled back into the hands of bondage in Egypt. So through the wilderness they were lead so the LORD could “de-Egyptianize” them. When people have lived in bondage so long (in Israel’s case it was 430 years) they become dependent upon their taskmasters. Thus it is with the new believer in Christ Jesus. They must be given the “milk of the word” before they will be able to eat meat. They are not ready for war. They must be brought along and fortified. No shortcuts. New believers who try to take spiritual shortcuts will fail to grow as God intends and lose their way. Many blessings are lost because of shortcuts. A teenager who seeks to satisfy their lustful desires by pre-marital sex will rob himself of a great treasure and struggle to recover from it. A man or woman who leaves their family hoping for a shortcut to happiness will enslave himself or herself with a terrible burden. The only way to true peace, joy and happiness is to just follow the Lord through the wilderness. Grandpa’s cabin awaits at the end of the trail.

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW

The old adage “what you don’t know won’t hurt you” is one of the most deceptive philosophies anyone can follow. It is rarely true in the secular world and never true concerning spiritual matters. We are not to be “children of darkness” stumbling around in the world without direction and unaware of the workings of God. Such a one would be susceptible to any lie Satan could throw at them.

A caution from God I read recently stated, “Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)” Certainly the children of Israel were affected by their ignorance of God’s ways. We are as well.

The Word of God is an inexhaustible resource of truth. Often I refer to it as the complete truth of the universe because its principles and precepts are universal. It is not difficult to discern if someone lives in darkness or light. We may measure this by observing how they apply the Word to living. Simply put, walking after the flesh is death and darkness, walking after the Spirit is life and light. If you, Beloved, need convincing, just observe the direction the world is going.