Month: March 2015

Following the Lead of our Intentional God

Posted on by hona

Following God into an unknown future is challenging for most people. Sometimes God places big dreams and visions in our hearts, but it is difficult to see how it could ever be possible. The Israelites had never been to the Promised Land at this point either. Their continual obedience to following the Lord’s leading in their life would get them where they needed to go. The people had to daily rely on God’s leading and trust His timing. God is calling us to daily respond in trust and obedience as well. It’s the daily part that can cause us to wander down our own path. We want to follow God as long as it fits in our time frame. God wasn’t haphazardly leading the Israelites, and He isn’t thoughtlessly leading you. Trust His timing and stay close to His presence. As you look around you, where is God working in your life? Be there…

A Promise of Deliverance

Posted on by hona

Moses had gone to Pharaoh to initially ask him to release the Israelites from slavery. When Pharaoh heard their request, he tightened his rule over the Israelites by creating even more harsh conditions under which to work. The Israelites were very upset with Moses and Aaron, and Moses cried out to God. God responded with the same promise of deliverance he had given Moses in the wilderness. God’s specific message for the people wasn’t received by them, because there was no physical evidence of a change in their circumstances. They were tired, weary, and discouraged. Their situation went from bad to worse, and they couldn’t receive God’s direction because they were so weighed down by their circumstances. God had given them a promise and a plan, but the Israelites kept seeing the problems…

New Life in a Barren Land

Posted on by hona

The Israelites had been exiled, and Isaiah had given a prophetic message to them about the restoration of the people of Israel. It was a word for them in their current situation, but it was also a word that would later be realized. In the previous chapter, Isaiah spoke about a promise of deliverance and restoration that would be fulfilled in Jesus. God was calling the people to Himself and asking them to make room for what He was going to do before it occurred. In that day, a woman without a child would have been an embarrassment. Children cared for their parents as they aged. Isaiah used this analogy to compare the shame that the Israelites were experiencing in exile to a barren woman. Yet, without the situation changing, Isaiah called to them to sing, that a new song would rise up out of their desolation. The desolate and barren situation that the people faced would no longer be their song. The shame and embarrassment that resulted from the exile would no longer be part of their identity. God was going to expand their influence and capacity. He was going to restore His people, as only He could do.

Walking into Your Future

Posted on by hona

God had given Moses instructions on how to lead the people of Israel. The people had left Egypt and were in the wilderness. God had called Moses to a mountain top to meet with Him. After Moses came down off the mountain, Moses found that the Israelites had constructed a golden calf to worship. In his absence, the people’s hearts had quickly turned from God. After they repented, God told Moses to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. While Moses was not a leadership expert at this point, he knew that God’s presence would be the deciding factor in their success. Moses didn’t want to go anywhere God wasn’t going to be. He had just experienced the people quickly turning their backs on God, so he knew that there would be challenges ahead. He knew that if God did not go with them as they changed their location, then it wouldn’t be worth it. Yet, if God went with them, the promise of His presence would sustain them.

When Seasons Don’t Seem to Change

Posted on by hona

 Photo Credit: Nosha via Creative Commons [dropcaps style= ‘square’]A[/dropcaps]s the snow sits quietly on the ground, the little birds sing a song back and forth to one another. I can’t help but smile at the contrast. The singing birds remind me of fresh flowers and green grass: Spring. Yet, the world around me doesn’t resemble