March 5

Numbers 33 is a poignant picture of our own respective journeys out of a life of self-governance, at the behest of our craven human nature, and into a life fully submitted to God, a life defining, passion filled, moment by moment governing relationship with Him. The two lives are juxtaposed for us in seeing Egypt paralleled with the Promised Land.

The list in Numbers 33 repeatedly states, "...they left...and camped..." When a person makes a vow of devotion to Jesus, we must be patient. There is a lot of "leaving" and "camping" on their spiritual journey ahead. The journey out of Egypt into the Promised Land is not a 24 hour excursion. Values, habits, life orientations, patterns of thinking...we must be careful to not demand a pace that is not in keeping with the work of the Holy Spirit in an individual's life. Granted, as with the Israelites, disobedience along the way can very well extend one's stay so there is a delicate balance we must discern as well.

In John 3, Jesus uses the metaphor of birth to bring revelation to our hearts regarding the beginning of spiritual life. I find that people who are new in their faith unfortunately find a demand from people established in their faith as if Jesus had spoken of the inception of spiritual life as a mold... we promise, He pours, out we come. But birth necessitates a womb, birth expects infancy, birth sees the value of time, birth waits for maturity.

If you are new in your spiritual life as a devoted follower of Jesus, while I can't speak for others, at City Life Church, you will find in us a grace to "leave" and "camp" with you as you confidently abandon Egypt and expectantly reach for His Promised Land!

Pastor Fred