“We’re moving!!” Not the words I wanted to hear, and not the words I wanted to repeat to my close knit family and lifelong friends! Not a move to just a new house or a new town, but a move to a new country! Oh, and with two teenagers who definitely did not want to leave their friends. I was fearful and perplexed and questioning God. But God was about to show me that this move from Canada to Texas would be one of the most wonderful events of all our lives. A move that would move our hearts closer to Him.
Have you been there? Wondering why God would move you from one place to another, one job to another, one relationship to another?
For me, this trip meant packing up our lives but what I did not realize at the time, is that the move would unpack more blessings than I could have ever imagined! (one of which was my attending Seminary) God once again proved He had the perfect plan and provision for my life!
It got me thinking about another trip. The one God designed, and the provision He made for Joseph, Mary and Jesus to leave Bethlehem and go to Egypt. Probably about a 200 mile trip. What were they thinking as they set out?
It seems that in Biblical times no one travelled easily. Distances were long, requiring much to sustain them. Tents and mats for sleeping, food and utensils, animals, and often all their possessions had to go with them. No Holiday Inns along the way! No moving vans! And it seems God often took His people a long distance to Egypt.
Abram and his wife Sarai made the trip there because of famine in the land of Canaan. After a bit of a problem with the “too beautiful Sarai” and Pharaoh, they were escorted out of Egypt with a grand assortment of sheep, oxen, donkeys, and male and female servants. (Genesis 12) Genesis 13:2 says “Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold”…and I would add rich in his heart and spirit seeing the provision of God.
God later told Abram that his descendants would be enslaved in Egypt, yet they would come out with many possessions. (Genesis 15:13-14)
When Joseph was sold by his brothers and taken to Egypt as a slave, he eventually became Pharaoh’s vizier or prime minister. That’s a big trip from slave and emprisonment to second in command of a thriving metropolis. Only by God’s provision was Joseph moved.
Because of famine, Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt where he filled all their bags to overflowing with grain and returned money, instructing them to go home and get their brother Benjamin and return to Egypt. After that tearful reunion where the brothers find out that the vizier is actually Joseph, it is decided that the whole family needs to come to Egypt. Ten donkeys were loaded with all the best things of Egypt, and ten donkeys with grain and bread and sustenance for the journey. (Genesis 45:23) Pharaoh said to bring their whole household and he would give them the best land of Egypt. He sent them off with many wagons, and I imagine, with many praises for their God Who provided.
The 70 Israelites multiplied, Pharaohs came and went, and God’s people were enslaved in Egypt for 430 years until God brought plagues on the land and Moses led the people out of Egypt. No small task! 603,550 men, and considering women and children and a mixed multitude, along with flocks and herds and a large number of livestock. They were not traveling without some issues! .(Exodus 12:38) Some estimate over two million people were on the move. (Not what you’ll see in a typical Charlton Heston movie)
The Egyptians were so eager to get them gone they were extremely generous in giving them gold and silver and clothing. Genesis 12:36 says that Israel plundered the Egyptians. God moved the Egyptians to generosity.
How generous were they? When the Israelites were in the wilderness and Moses received all the commandments and instructions from God, all the people donated items for the building of the Tabernacle…3 and 1/2 tons of gold, 4 tons of silver, 3 tons of bronze, beautiful blue and purple and scarlet fabrics, fine white linen, goats hair for spinning, rams skins dyed red, porpoise skins, acacia wood, oil,spices, fragrances, and precious stones. (Exodus 35:5-9) Look how God moved Egypt and provided!
Getting back to Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child and their trip, Matthew 2:13-14 says, “Now when they (the Magi) had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, “Arise and take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him. And he arose and took the Child and His mother and departed for Egypt”
Just a quick little move to Egypt! The trip and stay were “prepaid” by the generous gifts of the Magi. Caring for Jesus, Mary and Joseph probably didn’t travel light but they travelled with the Light of the World!
Is God moving you? It could be physically, emotionally, spiritually. He loves to move us! It could mean we have a lot of packing up to do. Again…physically, emotionally, spiritually! What does He want us to take? What does He want us to get rid of? Will we walk, run, fly, soar?
Lets keep moving! He has a wonderful trip planned for our lives and He will provide exactly what we need for the move. Get ready to unpack His blessings.
May He continue to move our hearts ever closer to Him day after day!
