Monday, November 16, 2009

What is Your Egypt?

"“What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the Lord.
“You make plans that are contrary to mine.
You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,
thus piling up your sins.
2 For without consulting me,
you have gone down to Egypt for help.
You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection.
You have tried to hide in his shade."
Isaiah 30:1-2



What is your Egypt?  What is it that you depend on more than God?  Is there someone in your life who you rely solely upon - depending on them to come through for you more than God? Perhaps your Egypt is money.  If you are wealthy, do you rely on your what your money can do for you more so than what God can do?  Wealth can enable you to generously further God's Kingdom and help others.  However, it must never displace God on the throne of our lives.  Or perhaps you have other types of money problems, living paycheck to paycheck.  Do you rely on God to help you or do you place your trust in credit cards, racking up debt up to your eyeballs?  Maybe you are unemployed and just struggling to survive.  In the depths of your struggle, it's hard not to worry about the money, but is that worry taking God's place in your life?  Or perhaps your Egypt is a bad habit or an addiction that you believe helps you make it through each day.  You are holding on so tightly because you don't think you can live without it or, even worse, quitting cold turkey on your own poses serious health risks. 

Whatever our Egypt is - a person or a thing - God will not allow it to take priority over Him.  We can be assured that He will deal with us about our Egypt. 

But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated,
and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.
4 For though his power extends to Zoan
\and his officials have arrived in Hanes,
5 all who trust in him will be ashamed.
He will not help you.
Instead, he will disgrace you.”
Isaiah 30:3-4

God is good.  But He is also a loving Father.  And like any loving Father, He must discipline His children when they get out of line.  When our dependence upon Him falters it's usually because our focus has shifted prmarily to the problem and off of God.  Our faith waivers and we search for tangible ways to resolve our problems instead of relying upon His higher ways.  We can't always see what His plans are.  We get impatient and we seek help elsewhere.  However, the world doesn't have the answers nor the help that we truly need.  Reliance upon worldly wisdom and help only leads us to a place of destruction.  Therefore, when we rely upon the world's help over God's, God may allow us to suffer the consequences of that decision.

Prayerfully ask God to reveal any Egypts in your life.  He's just waiting for you to come to Him - to show you His love and compassion.  But He won't force Himself on you.  Oh how He longs for  you to come willingly!

So the Lord must wait for you to come to him
So he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for his help.
Isaiah 30:18


In His Love, Cathy

No comments: