THE LONG WAY
Exodus 13: 17: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh
had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land
of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest
peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18: But God led the people about, through
the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up
harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
Last
week we considered how God often takes us the long way, although the way we
want to go is near. But God does it to
protect us from the evil. Not only that,
God gave the children of Israel much more by taking them the long way through
the wilderness of the Red Sea.
Recently, I checked the city codes then ordered
a small, pre-built shed, paid for it and set a date for it to be
delivered. Then the township informed me
that I could not put it on my property due to an ordinance that forbids any new
buildings within 150 feet from the creek that borders my property. It reminded me that when we bought our home
ten years ago we were told we could not ever add-on because of that ordinance. I
could not ever even add an extra bathroom. So for the past two months I have
been back and forth with the township trying to get a permit for my shed. I had
to contact the former owners. Then their real estate agent. Then my neighbors.
All in an attempt to prove to the township that a shed was formerly on my
property which was destroyed by a tree. But it was a dead end. I had to reschedule the delivery date three
times. It was looking as if I had wasted
my money on a shed. Then out of the blue, the township sent me a permit stating
that the ordinance did not apply to my property.
So Monday, finally, my shed was delivered.
As I stood admiring it, I thought about this passage from last Sunday. The Lord certainly took me the long way. But
by doing so, not only did I get my shed, I got a written statement from the
township which will now allow us to add on that extra bathroom. We would be amazed if we could see all the
times in our lives that, by taking us the long way, God protects us from the
evil and provides what we otherwise would not have, although the way we wanted
to go was near.