Hosanna Restoration Church

Have you ever wondered if it was really necessary for the people to live in the foreign land as slaves for four hundred years? God said that they would go to foreign land and be treated as slaves for all those years, but He did not necessarily say that they had to. He was telling them what He knew to be true. Why didn’t they ask if there was a way to change that? Really, think about it. In the present day, no matter what sentence anyone gets in court, they instantly trying to find a way to reduce it. I think maybe God would have liked it if they had tried to change that sentence. Obviously God knew that it would take them that long to really get desperate enough to call out to Him. This is of course just my speculation, but it is the basis of a topic that I would like to consider now.

As Christians, I think we all wonder off into foreign countries now and then. Whether it comes as a result of getting into compromising situations, or wandering off into spiritual wastelands, the result is always the same. Anywhere away from the Spirit of God is a foreign land, and anytime that we are out there we are mistreated and miserable. So then the question arises; how long do we have to stay out there once we are there and miserable.

The enemy tries to convince us in one way or another that we got ourselves into the mess so we should suffer there for a long time. God on the other hands tells us that if we will return to Him, He will return to us. We draw near and He draws near. Before we ask, when we are just beginning to think about calling, He heads our way. He waits for us like the prodigal son’s father did. God is ready with the robe, the ring, and the sandals. He has the feast prepared to celebrate our return.

Of course it would be best if we stayed out of the foreign lands. It would be best if we always walked in the power of faith and never got into the foreign areas of compromise, doubt, and unbelief. Unfortunately at times it seems like there is nothing like a journey into a foreign country to remind us of just how good God is. The truth is none of us has four hundred years to wander. We need to be close to God right now. We need to teach our children so that they can teach their children. We do not know when Jesus will return, but we really need to be ready.

We do not want to be out in the foreign country when He returns. We never want Him to find us wandering. The church needs to be prepared. We must not pitch our tents on the boarder of the foreign country; we need to live deep faith country. We need to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might so that we can draw others out of the foreign lands. We need to be bright lights that lead others out of darkness.

Remember, it only took one day for God to deliver Israel out of Egypt. It apparently took them four hundred years to get in the place for deliverance. Jesus provided the way for instant transition for the whole world. If you wander, be quick to call for the way out.