eXoDuS .... getting outa Egypt!

If you walk into our house, one of the first things you'll notice are all the photos up on the walls. Its Ange's trademark ... "bang, bang, bang" up go the pictures - each hammer blow a reminder of God's blessing in our lives.

... that's when my house becomes a home - surrounded by our friends, family, places ...

memories

inheritance

legacy

Recently, late one evening, a man came to see me, drunk as a skunk.... he could hardly stand. He smelled like the carpet of Polo Tavern after happy hour - politely I suggested we talk outside with a cuppa tea. He could hardly string a sentence together, but there was much on his heart. As it was the last time I'd see him before he left Dar, I tried to minister to him with little effect...

"A dzunno hoo a'yam ..." he slurred.

And then, as if a revelation had suddenly come to him, he said

"Ay'ma drunk, justa drunk"

He put down his mug of tea unsteadily and tried to focus on
me,

"an yu kno wha? ... ay lyk'it tzoo mutsh tu shtop"

As I looked past his shoulder through the big double glass doors, I could see my inheritance looking back at me off the passage wall. What would a man give in exchange for his soul? I thought of all the junctions in my life where God had spared me, rescued me, disciplined me. How I had rebelled, fought His discipline, lived my life ... Truly the kindness of God leads us to repentance - and it's grace that opens our eyes to His kindness.

I can truly say (and many others would say amen to that): but for the grace of God, there go I! By the grace of God I am what I am ... but God's grace was not in vain...

What have you done with the grace of God in your life?

Are your eyes open to the kindness of God?

I set before you today life and death! Choose life that you may live!

It's interesting that we never take photos of our bad times, sad times ... our "I'd rather forget" times. Its not that we don't go through those times, but they're not what we'd like to show our friends and visitors. Even so, when we look back and remember where we came from it is either with incredible thankfulness for what Jesus has done in your life ... or with terrible regrets of a life wasted and inheritance lost.

destroyed marriages

hopelessness

lost children

bitterness

anger

sin

And so it is with Israel and their exodus from Egypt. God is so honest and open about the failings and shortfalls of His people. He doesn't try to hide the mistakes, sins, fears and doubts of His own family. The reason He does so is for us to learn and grow and mature - SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES THEY MADE! How many times do we want to say to our kids "You don't have to make the same mistakes I made!"

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about the exodus:

I do not want you to be ignorant .... These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. (1Cor10:1,11)

• It's one thing to getting Israel out of Egypt, its another to get Egypt out of Israel!

We're studying this incredible account of Israel's journey with God through the wilderness for the next few months because it relates so directly to our own journey with God. Jesus met with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration where they spoke about His coming exodus. The exodus of the Israelites 3,500 years ago was only a foreshadowing of that mighty hinge of history that was swung back by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary some 1,500 years later but that was rooted in eternity before the foundation of the world.

Jesus came to set us free from captivity. No matter how badly we have messed up in the past - our family album may be a thing of shame and embarrassment; but if we will turn to Him and trust Him - we will find NOT ONLY a Saviour, the One who leads us out of captivity, but also LORD, our King who leads us into His promises.

He is Hope for the hopeless, Bread for the hungry, Light for the blind, Life for the dead, Love for the fearful, Shepherd for the lost. He is the Qualification for the disqualified, Justification for the condemned, Sanctification for the defiled, Peace for the troubled ... no one who trusts in Him will be put to shame!

(Col 2:13-15)

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Heavenly Father, you have called me to be a son, not a slave. You have redeemed me from the slave market of sin, You paid the price in full by the life of Your Son Jesus. May that amazing grace toward me never be in vain as I walk this journey with You. May my life be a love song of praise to You.

In Jesus precious Name.