Do you remember the story of “the Exodus” recorded in the first half of the book of Exodus in the Hebrew Scriptures? After more than 400 years of living as slaves in Egypt, God’s people found freedom as Moses led them out of Egypt and into the deserted wilderness of Sinai on their way to the home God had promised them. But, something “funny” happened on their way home, after finding freedom… the people actually regretted their new liberty.

“If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt…There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death” Exodus 16:3 NLT. That’s how they complained to their leader Moses.

This is the part when I imagine Pharaoh, king of Egypt to be more like George, king of England from the musical Hamilton singing to another group of newly independent people, “You’re on your own. Awesome. Wow! Do you have a clue what happens now?” The Israelites were learning an important life principle:

Every new solution creates a new problem. Moses was right to lead God’s people to freedom (Washington and the colonial revolutionaries were right to break with England too), but the solution of freedom brought along new challenges.

In the wilderness, Israel needed a new food supply. Soon, they would also need to find a fresh water supply. Freedom was the best solution to their slavery problem, but it certainly created new challenges they never could have imagined. Every solution you find will create new problems, but…

Every new problem creates a new opportunity for God’s faithfulness. When Moses faced the new problem of providing for his people as they experienced new freedom, he learned to trust God in new and increasingly significant ways. God promised Moses, “In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord…” Exodus 16:7 NLT. God provided everything that his people needed.

Your problems are not because God has failed, abandoned, or forgotten you. Problems are a normal part of life. However we encounter our problems, each one represents a new chance for us to experience the faithfulness and goodness of God.

Consider reading through Exodus chapters 15, 16, and 17 to learn about Israel’s problems and God’s faithfulness as well as to see you problems from a new perspective.

Titus

P.S. This Sunday and next, I hope you will be part of the conclusion to our series in Colossians, Greater, onsite at 9:15AM and 11AM or whenever you can participate online.