A Lifelong Journey of Faith

This summer, we will be exploring what the Exodus story (Israel’s journey from slavery to freedom) teaches us about following Jesus today. As I reflect on Israel’s long journey through the wilderness, I’m reminded of the fact that following Jesus is much more of a marathon than a sprint. God is guiding us to our ultimate destination in Heaven, but the road is long. It’s a journey that requires patience and endurance (Colossians 1:11), perseverance (Hebrews 12:1), persistence (Romans 2:7), and a commitment to not grow weary or give up (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:3).

One of the biggest “aha” moments I’ve had about the Exodus story is the fact that God was using Israel’s forty years in the wilderness to help them become the kind of people he needed them to be in order to accomplish the mission he was giving them. The early events of their journey were a sort of stress test that God used to diagnose Israel’s faith and discern how ready they were to trust him with all their hearts. Unfortunately, those early tests revealed that they still had a long way to go.

Truth be told, they weren’t ready to conquer the Promised Land, obey the Law, or be a light to the world when they first left Egypt. They had a lot of growing and maturing to do, and God used their time in the wilderness to refine their hearts and deepen their faith. Not only did God need to change their location — he also needed to transform their hearts. And the long journey through the wilderness gave him the perfect opportunity to do that.

Let’s think about our own walk with God. How might God be using the trials, difficulties, or “wilderness wanderings” in our lives to form us into better reflections of Jesus? What have the stress tests in your life revealed about your faith, your truth, and your willingness to embrace God’s plan for your life?

And if you feel like you still have a long way to go in your walk with God, you’re in good company. We all need the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the power of the Spirit to help us become the people God is calling us to be so we can do the things he’s calling us to do. It’s a long journey, but an important one, and I am praying we will also spend time reflecting on where God is leading us and how he wants us to grow as his disciples.

Blessings,

Bryan Fojtasek