What is your Egypt?
The Israelites had come a long way over the last 40 years, leaving Egypt where they were in slavery, arriving at the banks of the Jordan. They were about to enter the land promised to them by God. The Israelites knew the battle that they were up against. The people of the land were numerous, large, lived in fortified cities, and were seemingly in a great position to defeat the Israelites. As they sat on the bank of the river, they listened to their leader, Moses, give final instructions.
Through the book of Deuteronomy, in his final speech, Moses gives detailed instruction on how to go to battle and how to live in the land. Amidst his instructions, Moses repeats a phrase over and over.
“The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you.”
With the overwhelming odds stacked against them, Moses points the attention of the Israelites to the past. Moses tells the people to remember the past. They had seen the Lord move in a remarkable way in their lives, removing them from brutal slavery in Egypt. So, when facing these insurmountable battles, they were to reflect on how God had cared for them. This remembrance and reflection would give them confidence to carry on.
What is your Egypt?
Not to compare your life to the life of slavery that the Israelites faced, but when was that time when God really showed up in your life? That time when the only explainable result of a situation was God. The time that He showed up and cared for you. Chrish this thime in your life. When times get tough, remember and reflect on your Egypt. Remember how God cared for you. This same God is with you now. This reflection will give you the strength to carry on.