Session 13

How remembering the past shapes the present

From Exodus: A 34-Day Devotional

When it feels like we’re wandering aimlessly or stuck in a hopeless situation, promises like “the best is yet to come” can seem applicable to everyone but us. We’ve all had these days. The ones when we’ve lost loved ones, when relationships are severed, when our kids seem out of control, or our jobs are too much. It’s those days when we’re so overwhelmed by what’s happening in front of us that hope for tomorrow feels impossible to comprehend.

The Israelites were experiencing this kind of hopelessness after leaving Egypt. They left their homes and everything they knew on a promise God had made to Abraham years ago. They were going after God’s best for them, the Promised Land. It wasn’t a sure thing, but they were trusting that God’s word was good. Although God bypassed the Philistine road and protected Israel from war, the Israelites were still sent to wander the wilderness.

Experiencing the wilderness was necessary in order for the Israelites to get where God was leading them, but having hope when wandering isn’t easy. In Exodus 13, God shows us a practical way to have hope in tough times: Remember His past faithfulness and know that He always makes good on His word. This practice of remembering is the reason God tells Moses to consecrate every firstborn male to Him during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This act would serve as a lasting reminder of the day God brought Israel out of Egypt.

The wilderness seems like a hopeless place, especially when all we have is a promise to hold on to, but the key to having hope is remembering where we’ve been and holding on to where we’re going. God went ahead of the Israelites in the wilderness, and He’s going ahead of us, too. There is hope. We just have to remember God is good and He is for us. We are not alone today, and the best really is yet to come.

Reflect:

• Where in your past do you see God’s provision or protection?
• What are one or two promises about God’s character you’ve seen Him prove true in the past?