God is After More Than You Know!

While I was reading my devotion today, something stood out I had not paid attention to before:

And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. ¹⁸ When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!" Exodus 14: 17018 (NLT)

We are familiar with the story of the Exodus of God’s people from Egypt. We know that God was the instrument leading and guiding Moses and the children of Israel every step of the way. We know that God wanted them to not only worship Him, but to know His ways. What we may not realize however, is that God wanted more than the children of Israel to know Him. After all the plagues that the Egyptians experienced because Pharaoh would not let God’s people go, it looks like God was not finished with trying to get them to understand just who He was!

While we as believers sooner or later understand our journey, that God uses circumstances, situations, and people to teach us His ways; what we often fail to understand that God is also trying to get the attention of our adversaries. The miracle He wants to work for us, He wants those who are striving against us to witness for their benefit also. God is not mad at the people we are mad at. He has a love for the whole world, and "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the truth". 

Too late the  Egyptians realized that their fight was not against the children of Israel:

²³ Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. ²⁴ But just before dawn the Lordlooked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. ²⁵ He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. "Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!" the Egyptians shouted. "The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!" Exodus 14:23-25 (NLT)

It took them getting into the sea to realize that it was the Lord who was fighting against Egypt – why? to destroy them? No, that they might see God’s great power and glory. There were still those people left in Egypt who witnessed this, there were still souls that needed to honor the God who had fought for Israel. 

It’s like that today. That enemy you think needs to be destroyed, really needs to know the love of God and the authority of God. For if they knew, just maybe their hearts would turn. It is not our job to determine whether they are worth it and withhold our prayers, God made them, it’s worth it!

Maria