Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleThe Long Way
Bible TextExodus 13:17-18
Date02-Jul-2018
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
Audio HI-FI Listen: Sanctification by God Leading Us (32 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
Audio CD Quality Listen: Sanctification by God Leading Us (128 kbps)  /  [go to notes]
 

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.