I have just spent the week portraying Moses and helping myself and others better understand the plight of the Isrealites as they fled Egypt. The saying that the children and I kept repeating in one form or another as we studied all of the Isrealite's challenges was "God is with us so...trust God."
Teaching this to a group of young ones did at times pose a pretty sizeable task even for Moses! Apparently, my disguise wasn't good enough to hide my real identity and a some of them only saw my long white beard and then, of course, began calling me "Santa."
But the messages seemed to stick with them in the end, especially the message that "God IS with us and we should trust in Him as we face our own challenges.
I began to realize how often I forget that He is with me through all things and I am sure many of you do from time to time as well. It is amazing how often we forget the promises of God just like the Isrealites did repeatedly in their exodus from Egypt.
Trusting God helps us realize that the blessings we enjoy, the "coincidences" we experience, or the burdens we bear are His way of reminding us, as He did repeatedly with the Isrealites, that we are not on our journey alone.
We may never see God's power in the form of a parting of the Red Sea, the gift of manna and quail, or hopefully never in some sort of plague but it is real and it surrounds us right here, right now.
We don't have to suffer our burdens alone because God is with us on our journey just as He was with Moses and the Isrealites as they fled Pharoah. We must simply open our eyes and hearts to His presence just as the disciples did after Jesus died and was ressurrected.
As you read the endings to each of the gospels it is written that even the disciples had their doubts and were blind to Jesus' presence at first. But they had their eyes opened, were reassured of His love and charged with even more responsibility.
From Matthew 28:16-20:
The Great Commission
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 NLT)
From Luke 24:13-16
That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him. (Luke 24:13-16 NLT)
And from Luke 24:28-31
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So He went home with them. As they sat down to eat, He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him...(Luke 24:28-31 NLT)
As we break bread this morning, let our eyes and hearts also be opened to His presence, His sacrifice, and His word.
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