Don’t go back to Egypt
About 4 years ago God called me out. He didn’t shine a crazy light on me or declare a showdown at high noon but he whispered it. He guided me to a place gently where I had to confront it. Community. Not just any community, spiritual community that would grow me, sanctify me and draw me out of the seclusive lifestyle I was comfortable in. Up until that season I was used to life without it. Sure, I had a few friends that were pretty casual, no one that would check on you if you wandered away for a while and that was totally normal and ok to me. I had two babies without a “meal train” or anyone bothering me about choices in parenting, how I spent my time, my mental health, my growth as a person etc. I was free to be alone, and that is really what I preferred. However, I had made the decision to homeschool and even though being home with my kids and no one else to ever answer to would have fit me just fine , I felt a pull to join a new homeschool group forming at a local church. Maybe it felt safe because I literally knew no one there and I could try it and then leave if I wanted , no questions asked. There was also a part of me that wondered how others did this homeschool thing and then of course the aspect of my kids having a good time. Either way, I joined and committed to it. I had zero idea at the time it would change my life.
I fell into a group (hindsight the Holy Spirit did some work) of women who loved Jesus. Sure, all of us Christians love Jesus but, these women were hungry for Jesus. They couldn’t get enough. They had a Bible study group that I reluctantly agreed to join. I say reluctantly because I am honest. It’s not that I wasn’t a Bible reader already but, to read it together and then have discussion in a room full of other people I thought I could probably do without. After attending a few study sessions something started happening. I felt changes. I wanted a connection with these women and I wanted it because this spiritual community was always pointing to Jesus and Jesus is someone I can’t do life without. I spent the next few years investing in any opportunity that I could that was surrounded with people and was solely focused on growing their relationship in Christ. I found myself serving in so many ways that I had never imagined I would. I developed a few close relationships that were centered on spiritual growth and accountability. The timing of all this would seem unique, you could say. Did I mention this was all during a time where people were actually discouraged from connecting? That’s right, In God’s impeccable timing I was drawn to community during the Great Covid shutdown. Seems strange that the master of isolation would be desiring to draw others to the world of community when my previous way of life was on trend right? Isaiah 55; 8-9 says “ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts”. Have you ever watched the old VH1 or MTV show “Where are they now?” That’s what I figure you’re asking right now. Cliff notes- so, you spent years in isolation, without community, met some people, got pulled into community , all was well…….So, “where are you now”?
Do you remember all your Sunday School lessons on Exodus? Let me refresh your memory. God’s people, the Israelites , were slaves in Egypt under Pharaoh. A man named Moses was born during a time where Israelite babies were being thinned out. If it was a girl that was fine ,but if it was a boy they were instructed by Pharaoh to cast them into the Nile River. However, Moses’ mother couldn’t do it. She instead placed him into a basket. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and took him as her own and he was raised as an Egyptian. Years later God called on Moses to rescue his people from slavery and take them to their new home. To the Promised Land. After some plagues, parting of a sea, 40 years of wandering in the wilderness they finally reached their Promised Land. Slaves no more, and prospering ahead. This sounds perfect. The problem is people are not perfect. The Israelites made terrible decisions, turned from God, worshiped other things, compromised in so many ways and forgot about the great rescue they had been told about from their descendents. If you continue to read through the books of the Old Testament and generations, you’ll find they actually go back to Egypt! What? After all of that they go back to Egypt? I don’t remember that in my Sunday School class, but it’s human nature to retract and fall back into old patterns. Have you experienced this? Are you there now? Has God released you from something only for you to find yourself right back where you were? The addiction you quit, the thought process you had on replay, the overstriving and overdoing, the anxiety, depression, idol worship. Were you in a place of flourishment but now in a place of complacency? You went to bed with your Bible in your hand but now it’s your phone, you cut paid off credit cards only to now have them alphabetized in your wallet. The list is endless, but you have your very own personal Egypt and it’s human nature to go back to our Egypt.
Im currently 31 weeks pregnant so my sleep life is dicey to say the least and my dreams are a little vivid. The other night, and I apologize for you with weak stomachs, I had a very vivid dream. My dog went to the corner of the room and vomited. I then proceeded to run over there and….well…..I ate it. I know, it’s so disgusting. I woke up instantly and felt the Holy Spirit say “ As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly”. Proverbs 26:11. I knew what he was talking about. I have pulled back on community to some degree this past year. I’ve had some life changes that have left me with limited time, energy and it would be so easy to slip back into old patterns and behaviors. Praise be to God that he has placed a few people in my life that hold me accountable and help shepherd me. My friend Liz and I like to call her the “Old Erica”.
If you have found yourself back in Egypt or gazing that way, do you have someone to help pull you back?
When the remnant of Israelites were headed back to Egypt, God spoke to them through the prophet Jeremiah. He said, “ Remain here, don’t go back to Egypt, I will build you up and I will plant you”. They chose to ignore Jeremiah’s warning and God’s promise. ( Jeremiah 42). God rescued them once, and he offered to do it again. He is merciful and loving like that. He can do that for you too. If you’ve found yourself somewhere you don’t want to be, he can restore you. If you have traveled back to an old way of life, a bad habit that he has faithfully rescued you from before, He can redeem you.
- When has God rescued you from your Egypt? Think about the details and let it spur you on to Thanksgiving and gratitude.
- Where are you now? God can redeem anyone or anything. He can do it over and over again.
- Do you need to build an accountability community? It takes humility and prayer from my experience. Also well worth it.
- Spend some time in quiet with him and ask him to come alongside you and deliver you yet again if needed.
Living -Watered 