Lake Eufaula Christian Church
Detours are timeconsuming, annoying and tedious. They take us places we don’t want to go and reveal how patient and joyful we really are. When something slows us down and re-routes us, we usually don’t like it. But, detours can be powerful learning tools that God uses to shape us and grow us to be more Christ-like.
The Bible’s book of Exodus tells how God told Moses to hit the road when he was old enough to retire into sedentary oblivion. God’s hand was upon Moses from infancy when he was protected from being murdered. The Pharaoh’s daughter discovered him in the Nile River’s bulrushes and raised him as her own. He lived as an Egyptian, pampered and privileged in Pharaoh’s palace but by mid-life, he was a stuttering, stumble-tongued shepherd eking out a living on his father-inlaw’s land.
Precisely at a ripe, old age in life when Moses could have retired into sedentary oblivion, the Lord called him to “Tell the people of Israel ‘I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt…. I will be your God. I will bring you to the land and give it to you for your own.’” (Exodus 6:6).
After a series of devastating plagues, the Pharaoh did not stand in Moses’ way when he led his people out of Egypt. The God-caused plagues had given him enough trouble to make him say, “Good riddance!” So he agreed to let the Israelites go.
With Moses guiding them, God didn’t lead them the shortest embattled way, saying “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” (Exodus 13:17).
What a detour it was! What might have taken 40 days on the direct route took 40 years in the long, circuitous, round-about, wilderness way. Starting out in eagerness and enthusiasm, the Israelites’ faith was strained. The tattered, rag-a-muffin Hebrew band of people faced problems of water supply, food shortage and open rebellion. Endless and violent struggles for power erupted among them.
During this time of testing, Moses kept before them the vision of a future land of milk and honey, keeping them from wanting to return to Egypt and to turn to other gods.
Only a man of iron will could have endured the endless bickering, scheming, and backbiting, and Moses was such a man. He made the Israelites realize that God’s road is always the right road even when it’s the long way. Moses himself had not wanted the job God asked him to do, but he did it and God “guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire.” (Exodus 13:21) Like this Bible story, God sometimes leads us away from those things we are comfortable with because our faith needs to be stretched, refined and strengthened. But we can be sure, He will be with us through His Son Jesus and through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus told us “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).
We at LECC feel Jesus with us every Sunday as we remember Him with holy communion, open to all who believe in Him and His saving power.
Please join us at 415987 Highway 9, Eufaula, for Sunday school at 10 a.m., worship at 11 a.m., and Wednesday allage activities at 6:30 p.m. Don’t let yourself be detoured from God’s guidance and saving grace.
God Bless You!
Jeremy Little, Minister
