The power of contact

Good morning, as I look outside to the sun rising, the colors. The lights. I’m grateful to see the sunshine again today.

Something itching at the back of my mind, as the Israelites were leaving to walk into the desert (Exodus), they did not know where they were going. There were no maps, street signs, Google, they had the very presence of God. Cloud by day, fire by night. He was their google. He knew exactly where he was taking them, He knew everything that was going to happen. His presence was their freedom as he drew them away from Egypt and into the desert.

It didn’t feel like that to the Israelites. They wondered why. They were terrified that the Egyptians would destroy them. God made a way through the waters of the Red Sea. What felt comfortable (Egypt and slavery) was actively hurting them, it was all they knew.

They were taking Joseph’s bones. They had never been there, had they? Egypt was all they knew. Again, they had to wait and be led by God.

One other thing that hits me about this story is that as the Israelites were moving towards the Red Sea, they realize they are being actively pursued by the Egyptians, right? Here is the power of the crowd. They could have encouraged one another in the darkness and fear, as they literally saw the cloud of God between them and the Egyptians. No, they whipped each other into a froth.

”Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians [as slaves] than to die in the wilderness.”“
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/exo.14.12.AMP

This speaks to me of the power of community as well, good or bad. My last few weeks have been, well, froth inducing. Yesterday, as I lay in bed, sick, I began to get text messages from people i hadn’t heard from in a long time. How are you ? How may i pray? A dear one actually brought us dinner.

So here is my encouragement to you, has someone been on your mind? They keep coming up to you as you go about your day. Maybe it’s been awhile since you talked. May I encourage you to reach out? Let them know you are thinking about them. Praying.

For me, yesterday, these people taking time to contact, reminded me that God sees me. Knows me. Loves me. All from just a bunch of texts.

”The angel of God, who had been going in front of the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them. The pillar of the cloud moved from in front and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud along with darkness [even by day to the Egyptians], but it gave light by night [to the Israelites]; so one [army] did not come near the other all night. When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord [with reverence and awe-filled respect], and they believed in the Lord, and in His servant Moses.“
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭19‬-‭20‬, ‭31‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/exo.14.19-31.AMP