Exodus 13:17b-18a God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.
Delay is one of the most difficult tests God puts us through. Divine delays are not because God has run out of resources but because we are not ready to receive the aggrandize, honour or uplift. Victories are always preceded with fights and the delays toughens us to face battles. We would assume if God is leading the way, He would take us in the shortest, quickest and smoothest route however, He took the Israelites through a roundabout route before they got to the borders of the promised land. Psalms 37:23 The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD. Our steps, speed and stops are determined by the Lord. We might slip only when we try to run faster than His pace.
The Lord purposely detours, delays or directs us to take a roundabout route as He does not want the blessing to burden and crush us. The roundabout route was to transform the Hebrew slaves into soldiers. The 400 years of slavery had completely eroded the self-esteem, self-confidence or self-worth of the Israelites. Hence the detour was to reconstruct, instruct and revive sonship in them.
Are you frustrated with the delays in your life? Remember God is preparing you for the promotion:
1. Construction: During the detour around in the desert, the Lord taught the children of Israel to trust Him. There were no supermarkets, petrol stations or fast food restaurants in the desert. They had to totally rely on the Lord for their daily provision. Every morning the first thing they did was to trust Him for the daily rations. Every time they faced a mountain, there was a mind boggling miracle! The Lord brought water from the rock and quail from the east to quench their hunger. Delay in the middle of a desert is a divine detour to construct and build unshakable trust in Him.
2. Instruction: The roundabout threw the wandering slaves from the frying pan into the fire! It was the diversion that got them tucked between the Red Sea and the Pharaoh. Do you feel stuck between a rock and hard place? This is also God’s divine detail in the trail. It was only in the heat of the fire with the army of the Pharaoh chasing and the complaining, crying and wailing people around him did Moses learn to “be still and know the plan of God”. God throws us in the deep end to kill the ego, overconfidence or conceit and calm our souls to listen to His instructions. Sometime fire is required to completely consume the vanity. Unwelcomed delays are to learn to listen to God’s instructions.
3. Insulation: Detours are time gained to insulate our hearts to remain humble and complete the race victoriously. God purposely delays some blessings to change the slave mentality to a soldier mindset. The Israelites were physically freed yet mentally bound. The acceleration of the blessing will depend on how we respond to the padding that is essential to accommodate the gift. Delay is part of God’s details not to derail us but to insulate us to contain the increase.
Delays are part of God’s details to our destiny. Praise Him in the detour for God orders the steps of a good man.
Exodus 19:4 You saw what I, the Lord, did to the Egyptians and how I carried you as an eagle carries her young on her wings.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to understand that delays are not denials but divine detours to prepare me for my destiny. Amen
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