1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're so glad to have 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 2: you as a listener. Today's topic is Trusting God with. 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 3: The Unknown days Ahead. 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 2: We'll be right back with a brief message from our sponsor. 6 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: Trusting God with the Unknown Days Ahead Written by Laura Bailey, 7 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 2: Read by Laura Bailey. They said to Moses, was it 8 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 2: because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought 9 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: us to the desert to die? What have you done 10 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 2: to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Exodus four 11 00:00:55,160 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 2: eleven NIV. How much longer? It feels like we've been 12 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: walking forever. Wait, now we're going downhill. I thought we 13 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: were trying to get to the top of the mountain. 14 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 2: Why are there so many switchbacks? Wouldn't it be faster 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: to go straight up the hill? Last week, for fall break, 16 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: my husband and I took our girls to the mountains. 17 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,199 Speaker 2: We found a reasonably short and easy hike that led 18 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 2: to not one, but two waterfalls. My husband and I 19 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: were excited to share our love of the outdoors and 20 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: hiking with our girls. For us, the thrill of hiking 21 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 2: is the journey to the top. We often don't even 22 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 2: look at the mile markers or ask how the hikers 23 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 2: how much longer? We simply enjoy the fun of not knowing. 24 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 2: Our three young girls did not share the same sentiment 25 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 2: as suggested by the comments made above. I tried to 26 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: brush off the first few remarks, but then I snapped, we. 27 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 3: Will get there. Will we get there? 28 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: Just enjoy the jury and trust me it will be 29 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: worth the trip. As we walked in silence, I felt 30 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: that familiar paying of conviction from the Holy Spirit. While 31 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 2: I may not ask questions about directions, timeline, or purpose 32 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: on a hike, I am undoubtedly guilty of asking God 33 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 2: for information. I want to know where He is leading 34 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: for how long, and truthfully, I want to be able 35 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 2: to determine if the journey is worth it. Bottom line, 36 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: I often doubt God's timeline in question the journey he 37 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 2: has me on, and while I'm not the first person 38 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: in history to wonder if God's plan is better than 39 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: my own. In Exodus four fourteen, we see the Israelites 40 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: response to seeing Pharaoh and his army coming to attack and. 41 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 3: Take them back into exile. 42 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 2: A sarcastic response to their situation was typical for the 43 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 2: Israelites people, but I can. 44 00:02:57,919 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 3: Understand their frustration. 45 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 2: The Pharaoh recently freed the Israelites after they had been 46 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 2: in captivity for four hundred and thirty years. However, they 47 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 2: look up and find their enslavers ready to take them 48 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 2: back into slavery. 49 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 3: It's a natural response to ask, what was. 50 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: The point of all that wandering out on in the 51 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: desert if we were headed back to captivity. The Lord 52 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 2: led the Israelites to camp near the seashore. God had 53 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 2: already stopped them from going through the territory of the Philistines, 54 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: even though it was shorter, instead choosing to lead them 55 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: a longer way that led them by the shore of 56 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: the Red Sea Exodus thirteen seventeen through eighteen. God then 57 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: tells Moses that he wants them to turn back around, 58 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: going the opposite way he'd initially led them. While this 59 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 2: served to confuse the Pharaoh, the switching in direction and 60 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: the aimless wandering caused the Israelites. 61 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 3: To become restless. 62 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 2: They began to voice their annoyance and wonder if perhaps 63 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 2: they would have been better off staying in Egypt. God 64 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: is asking the Israelites to trust in his plan and 65 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 2: to enjoy the journey, because he is working all things 66 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: for their good his glory, and just a short time 67 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: later we see that God calls the Israelites to walk 68 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 2: by faith. Moses stretches out his hands and the waters 69 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 2: of the Red Sea part, allowing the Israelites. 70 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 3: To walk through on dry land to the other side. 71 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 3: The Egyptians pursue the Israelites. However, Moses stretches out his. 72 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,119 Speaker 2: Hand back over the sea and the waters flow back 73 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 2: over them, killing the whole army. 74 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 3: Exodus fourteen twenty one through thirty one. 75 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 2: Like with the Israelites, God asks us to trust him 76 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: even when it doesn't make sense. It is natural to 77 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: be fearful. We are creatures who crave comfort and security. 78 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 2: When God asks us to go on a journey into 79 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 2: the unknown, that's hard. However, we can rest in the 80 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 2: truth that God is good and he can be trusted. 81 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: When we reach the first waterfall, my oldest daughter reluctantly whispered, 82 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 2: this is pretty cool. 83 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: I'm glad we didn't turn back. 84 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 2: The path God has for us isn't always easy. There 85 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: will be times when we feel like we're wandering, have 86 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: to go backward before we move forward, and think that 87 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 2: we are wasting our time. But God always has a 88 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 2: purpose and one day we will most certainly say this 89 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 2: was worth the journey. Intersecting faith in life, do you 90 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 2: ever struggle to enjoy the journey? How does knowing that 91 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 2: God has a purpose and plan for your life's path 92 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 2: help you find contentment in your current circumstances. For further reading, 93 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 2: check out Exodus fourteen and Unwaving Faith amid Uncertainty. 94 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 95 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 96 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 97 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 98 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: can find the show. 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