Our days can often present challenges to be sorted, dealt with, pushed through, or endured.
The Israelites, God’s very own people, faced many challenges in leaving Egypt to travel to the land God had promised to them. Forty years of challenges to be exact.
The Red Sea before them and the Egyptian army in pursuit of them presented the first problem of this journey. But God parted the sea leading them safely through on dry ground and closed the Red Sea on Pharoah and his army, keeping His people safe. And the challenges continued …
- God led them through the unknown wilderness with a cloud by day and fire by night.
- God provided food and water.
- He instructed them with His commands so they would know how to live and obey Him.
- He gave them the land He had promised to them.
Tucked away in Deuteronomy is an interesting verse, one easy to overlook ….
“For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell.” (Deuteronomy 8:4, NLT)
Forty years. Their clothes lasted without wearing out. How amazing is this? No holes or thin spots in the fabric. No need of new clothing.
In a hot and dry wilderness, their feet not only did not experience blistering, but they did not swell. Seeing as we are in the middle of a heat wave this week, I cannot even imagine. Yet walking in a desert for forty days and their feet remained comfortable. And may we remember, they were not wearing designer shoes with the comfort of support arches and ventilation.
God helped them through each and every challenge for all forty years for one reason …
“For forty years I [Moses] led you through the wilderness yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other alcoholic drink, but he [God] gave you food so you would know that he is the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 29:5-6, NLT)
We, much like them, face challenges each day. We do not face any problem alone for our God is with us as well. He knows all the details of our lives and leads us through our days, in the hopes that we will know that He is the Lord our God. He desires us to know Him – intimately, deeply, and in relationship.
In the end, the only thing which will matter is how did we come through the journey?
Did we experience Him in the journey?
Was He the journey?
Today I am joining … Three Word Wednesday and Tell His Story and Women With Intention and Wedded Wednesday .
I love your Pooh graphic. Pinned! Thank you for sharing this on Women with Intention.
So glad you liked Pooh 🙂
This is so true…I am reading Sarah Mae’s book “Longing for Paris” and am really having a great time seeing how God wants to be on this adventure with us. In the good times and the bad, He wants us to experience Him and delight in Him. Love it!
Longing For Paris is a wonderful book!
I circled those verses last year because they spoke so much to me about just how much God is in the details! ♥
They really are amazing verses to think about 🙂
God is faithful.
I love the way you broke down the wilderness experience.
God still cares for us just like he did then.
Blessings to you
Thank you, Ifeoma. I think often times, we can forget that He cares for us in just the same way. Have a blessed week!
I really try to be a problem solver so much of the time. And, really, I need to stop and be more present in the journey. Your encouragement is always good and true. Thanks for linking up at #ThreeWordWednesday.
Thanks, Kristin. I so enjoy joining you each week!
Joanne, this is such a great post! You are 100% right that God wants to be there with us on the journey… wonderful reminder! Thanks for linking at Women With Intention Wednesdays!