Long Way Round
It’s rare when I’m driving to choose anything other than the fastest possible route. This way can save me two minutes? I better take it. I’m looking for speed and efficiency when I travel. I default to thinking it’s the destination, not the journey that matters.
I find myself approaching the life of faith in the same way. I’m looking for the fastest and most efficient route to my spiritual destination, but it often seems that God has other plans. He seems as concerned about the route I take as where I end up. The journey, it turns out, is preparing me for the destination.
In reading Exodus recently, I’ve been struck by God’s abilities as a navigator for his people after he had rescued them from slavery in Egypt and was leading them to the Promised Land.
Exodus 13:17–22 (ESV)
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.” And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Notice what Moses records in v. 17: “God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.” He didn’t take them the fastest route. This wasn’t the quickest way (which would seem to matter a great deal if you’re walking the whole way!). And what reason does God give? “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” He chose the long route for their good. He did not want them to immediately face war, be discouraged, and return to Egypt. He took them the long way round, “around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea,” in order to build their faith and prepare them to enter the land he was preparing for them.
It would be enough to know that God is taking us the long way for our good. He knows us. He knows our weaknesses, and he’s leading us accordingly to grow us in faith and prepare us for what lies ahead. The good news of this passage does not end there. As God leads them out of Egypt by the way of the Red Sea, he goes with them. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night” (13:21). His glorious presence is in their midst. He’s with them, and he’s leading them.
As he works for our good, God might be taking us the long way round on this life of faith, but the great hope of the gospel is that as he does so he is with us. Jesus is our Emmanuel, which means God with us (Matt 1:23). As he prepares to ascend into heaven, our Lord Jesus promises his followers, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20). Jesus is with us on this journey of faith.
