"When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.' So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle." (Ex. 13:17-18)
Love this. God turns down a short cut through Philistine country, even though the Israelites, armed and ready, would probably have had at least a fighting chance if war had broken out. Instead, he takes them the long way, which results in them being trapped between an obnoxiously uncrossable body of water and a giddy band of bloodthirsty Egyptians. He denies them the challenge they could have faced and gives them the challenge they could never have faced.
Isn't sin like this? We're told that we've been enslaved to an evil we cannot defeat (Rom. 7:21-24). In the same way that only God could have delivered Israel through the Red Sea, so only can the Good Shepherd lead us through the valley of sin and the shadow of death.
Imagine if he let us fight our own personal "Philistines." We wouldn't need him. We could fight the fight ourselves. But how small a world that would be, if we were its savior!
Praise God that he takes us the long way. Praise God we can't part the Red Sea. Praise God that in our weakness he gains glory. Praise God that he alone can set us free.
"For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all" (Rom. 11:32).
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