Out of Egypt
"Our ancestors were unwilling to obey (Moses); instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt..."
(Acts 7:39)
The other day I was at Disneyland, about to ride STAR TOURS (one of my favorites!). It's a virtual ride through the Star Wars Galaxy, where the entire room (seats, cabin, screen, etc.) rocks and rolls as the spaceship encounters various "obstacles" to overcome.
A man with two young children was seated in my row. Before the ride started, as we were buckled in, awaiting instructions, the youngest son kept saying, non-stop: "I don't wanna fly. I don't wanna fly. I don't wanna fly."
That happens, doesn't it? We get in the middle of something and suddenly, we wish we were somewhere else. That little boy wanted to be ANYWHERE other than on that spaceship! I've been there (thought never while riding Star Tours).
In the book of Acts, we get a glimpse into what the early church was like in the days following Jesus' resurrection and ascension. At one point, the apostle Stephen was brought before the religions authorities and charged with speaking derogatorily about the Temple and Judaism. In his defense, he began to recount Israel's entire salvation history (in just one chapter!). It's a brilliant summary.
The part that stood out to me today was when he spoke of the Israelites' time in the wilderness. They'd been rescued from captivity in Egypt and given freedom by God through Moses' leadership. But as they faced challenges and hardships, they lost sight of the vision and promise of a new land. Stephen tells us that they pushed Moses aside, "and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt." Wow. What an indictment. They didn't actually physically travel back to Egypt... but their hearts (spirits) had already made the return journey to bondage & captivity.
How often are we willing to stay in a bad situation (emotionally, spiritually, etc.) when times get hard. I don't necessarily mean physically, either. In times of struggle & challenge, our hearts want to reset to Egypt. BUT GOD IS CALLING US FORWARD! God is leading us to new life, freedom, and wholeness. We need to get out of Egypt! They journey is never easy. But God never promised us (or the Israelites) easy. God promised to be with us on the journey. Yes, it's scary sometimes. But we can't let our hearts and spirits return to Egypt. Trust "the Force" of the Father!