February 1
Ex 13:17-15:18 | PS 26 | Prov 6:16-19 | Matt 21:23-46
It’s natural to want to complete our training in whatever that might be, to lead instead of be led, to be our own person rather than following the dictates of another. Many can’t wait to finish their schooling, or in a vocation their training, or as an individual to move out on our own rather than being under our parents. This is natural, but learning to follow, learning to be led is the way of God, and this never ends on earth until we enter eternity. If and when we break from this position is when we follow our own path, not His path, which is the wrong path no matter how much it might seem to make sense. The Christian is a sheep, and Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Our eyes must not leave Him. We are prone to wander but He will always take us back into the flock. This might not be the glamorous role the world will pump you up for, but learning to live in His guidance, receiving His mercy and His grace is where we need to be if we are going to experience true joy.
After so many years of slavery, finally the Exodus from Egypt. They might have thought, finally on their own. But we read in Exodus 13:21-22“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” Yes, they were released from human bondage, but they were just entering their training ground learning to accept God as their leader. Very quickly they are cornered with nowhere to run by the edge of the Red Sea. We read in 14:10, “And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” Their eyes went away from God who was in the pillar and onto the object of their concern. After accusing Moses and condemning him for taking them out of Egypt, we see God move into action. Before the Red Sea parts, we read in 14:19-20, “And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.” After the Red Sea came back down on the Egyptian army, we read in 14:31, “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.”
This is the beginning of their training. Many love God when they are receiving what they want but become disillusioned when things seem to go in the wrong direction. It is the same God, and we are still in the training ground of learning to be led by Him, not by ourselves. Even seemingly bad things can be used by God for our good. Following God can be difficult. We may get banged up and bruised in the process. But we must understand what is at stake here as we read Jesus’ words in Matthew 21:42-44, referring to Himself as the “cornerstone”, “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” So our choice: follow Jesus and we will be broken up a bit in the process, which is necessary as we learn to follow; or reject Him, go our own way, be our own person and be crushed in the process. You choose, it is either or.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: