Come Home for Christmas
Monday, November 27, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank you for the opportunity to enter into another Christmas season; a season of focus on the birth of Jesus. I pray today that as New Life emphasizes the theme “Come Home For Christmas,” this year that you will draw my heart “home” to You in every way. I pray that from the depths of my being that I will trust You, that I will hear Your voice and do Your will, that I will use every opportunity that comes my way to tell others about Your great salvation, and to show them in practical ways of Your great love. I also pray that You will bring many home to You during this season. I pray that You will bring people who know You at some level, but who have not been participating in the life and ministry of New Life “home” to You in worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and mission. I pray that You will bring those in our community who don’t know You as Savior and Lord “home” to You for the first time. I pray, Lord, that this series of messages will be used mightily by You to bring fruit to Your eternal Kingdom. Fill me and every person associated with New Life Christian Ministries with Your Holy Spirit that we may hear Your voice and do Your will in every area of our lives. As this season is filled with lights of many colors, used to decorate homes, trees and landscapes, let my life be a “light” that shows others the way home to You, that they may know the light that is truly light. God, use this next month to glorify Yourself and bring many people home—eternally home—to Yourself. All this I pray in the strong name of Jesus, who left His home in heaven and came here to earth, that we may one day go home to heaven with You! Amen.
God’s Word Today
Focus Scripture: Exodus 13:17-18
17When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them on the road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest way from Egypt to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18So God led them along a route through the wilderness toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites left Egypt like a marching army.
Reflecting on God’s Word
When have you gone on a trip, and ended up taking the long way home, because the short or easy way was blocked?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
During this week, we will introduce a number of Scriptures from Exodus to expand on the theme of today’s Scripture that sometimes God takes us “the long way home,” because the short way isn’t always the best way to get where He wants us to go. In looking at today’s Scripture from Exodus 13:17-18 respond to the following questions:
What was the shortest way from Egypt to the Promised Land?
Why did God choose not to take the Israelites that way?
What could have happened if the Israelites had taken the “short cut”?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
What does today’s Scripture tell us about God’s purpose for our lives when it concerns “coming home”?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
Sometimes the shortest distance between two points isn’t the best way for us to go. God knows that, and so sends us “the long way home.” Think about your life right now. What are some things that are happening that are taking longer than you expected them to take? It could be some physical problem, or a relational challenge, or a spiritual habit you have been seeking to develop. What are the benefits of these things taking longer that you expected?
What could God be seeking to teach you in practical terms through these delays?
Thoughts—“The Long Way Home!”
The Israelites had been living in Egypt for 400 years. For many of those years, they lived as slaves. Now, God had sent Moses to deliver them from slavery and lead them HOME! Imagine the sense of gratitude to God the Israelites held. Imagine the sense of anticipation and wonder they experienced as they left Egypt and headed for the “Promised Land.” As they left for “home” they must have wanted to get there as quickly as possible, yet God sent them the long way home. He knew that after all those years in slavery that they were not “battle tested,” and He knew that the Philistines were strong warriors. God wanted to forge His people into a great nation, a nation that trusted Him and showed the rest of the world the meaning of faith. God also wanted His people to understand that while He would always do His part in forging the nation, they had to do their part. That meant they would be soldiers in taking the Promised Land from the pagans who lived there at the time. This meant moving from a slave mentality to becoming the army of God! Such a transition doesn’t happen overnight. This week, we’ll see that God used many challenges to forge His people into HIS people, and to lead them home. In our lives we may become impatient at times for God to lead us home, but He always knows best, and He knows that the JOURNEY is important, too!