A Moment With GodSample

WHY THIS ROUTE?

When we are away from home for a long time, we long to return to home, sweet home. The people of Israel longed to return. They were mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually drained. For four hundred and thirty years, they were slaves waiting to be delivered. When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. It looked as if the Lord was unsure of the route or as if He was punishing them or as if He was cruel.

We see three important things as to why God takes them through a longer route. Very often when there are delays, we ask: Why me? Why only me?

When God takes us through a longer route, we understand that God is compassionate. He did not want the people to face war after 400 years of slavery. So he took them around the Philistine country because he didn't want them to face pain, mentally, physically and emotionally. He is a God who protects, not just leads. He is interested in us as individuals.

God is cautious. The Lord knows our heart more than we do. He knows our fickle-mindedness, our inconsistency, our frailty and he is cautious about the enemy. He knows every route and the enemies who stand on the way to pull us down, to attack us. So he takes us on another route to protect us. He did not lead them even though the route was shorter. He has walked that path before. He strengthens us for a greater task. The next time let us not look at the long route but look at the One who is leading us.

God completes that which He starts. The Lord takes them through a different route. He leads and they follow. He is there at the front guiding, protecting and completing that which he starts. The long route is safer and seems shorter when we follow the leader.

The problem with us is that we stand at the entrance to that route and give up. Some of us give up half way after complaining and murmuring. Some of us question the leader and His intention to take us through the long route. We will never know His intention till we follow Him till the end.

Let us not be impatient. The Lord is in total control. The next time we want to ask: Why this route? Let us stop and ask: Is this our compassionate Lord who leads us? Is this because the Lord is cautious for us? Is it because the Lord wants to complete that which He started in us? If only we look at the Lord instead of the route, our hearts will be strengthened and we will reach the destination with joy in our hearts.

The long route is safer and will seem shorter when we follow the leader.