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How I Handle Pain...Sometimes!

God Creates Growth Experiences.

As I read Exodus 13-21 I noticed several opportunities for Israel to trust God for various areas of needs. In fact, the text is pretty clear that rather than removing Israel from conflict, God actually created it so that they would grow. Exodus 13:17-Exodus 14 tells us that rather than leading Israel on t

One of my least favorite parts of the Israel tours that I lead is the Wilderness. There's nothing attractive to me in dirt and rocks and brown as far as the eye can see! As our group sat in Timnah, where there are mines and refineries that some archaeologists believe the Israelites had labored in the copper mines while slaves in Egypt, I put my thermometer on a rock in the shade. It peaked at 120 degrees, the limit for my thermometer!he Expressway to the Promised Land, He took them on the route going the opposite way, through the Red Sea and through the Wilderness.

But God had a goal in that territory: moving Israel from a slavery mentality to a free nation that was a Kingdom Building Nation in a hostile world.

So God sent them back toward the Red Sea so Pharaoh thought that Israel was wandering aimlessly, like bait on a hook. As Pharaoh's 600 chariots rumbled across the desert to re-capture these poor, ignorant slaves, God had Moses send them through the dry path He made through the Sea, to lead them to freedom, and Pharaoh's army into their destruction.

God also placed them into the wilderness without water, then without food or meat, had them journey through the night, rest during the day. Many circumstances that didn't appear that God was with them, but seemed like he had abandoned them in the wilderness.

The Lesson

Often my life doesn't appear to be successful or even abundant with God's favor. But part of following God is viewing my circumstances beyond my control as something God can use for my growth (Romans 8:28). As a parent I want a comfortable life for my kids, and when I assign them a task I can't believe the complaints of injustice and pain!! But the easy path (it's just easier to do it myself) is the worst preparation for them. I am caring for them by preparing them for the future life that will be far better if they take responsibility on today.

Exercise is a kind of self-induced pain that results in long-term growth. What responsible people impose on their bodies to produce a longer-term benefit.

The Application

I don't think God is telling me from this lesson to simply let life happen and accept it as His plan for my growth. That seems to be the opposite of what this principle of growth opportunities would teach. I must pursue my life's goals rather than wait for God to change the circumstances. But when I am pursuing a healthy path and circumstances turn bad, trust that God can use that too and attack it with trust and energy.

Today I will pursue my goals with prayer and passion, and believe that any "interruption" can be used by God for a goal He sees that I cannot.

How I Handle Pain...Sometimes!

God Uses Stories - Stories of Real People

I contacted a University Professor to ask him for some sources for a History of Egypt. I told him that I was taking a group from Harvest to Egypt to learn about the biblical narrative of Israel in Egypt, so I wanted to study the historical background of the place. His response was that there is a lot of debate over the truth of Israel being in Egypt as slaves building the cities of Ramses as the text describes. Neither archaeology nor extra-biblical history give evidence of these events. Instead, the findings so far indicate that Pharaoh didn't use slaves, nor is their any evidence that Israel left Egypt as the biblical text indicates.

So how does a Bible student handle this kind of issue: when science does not confirm the biblical story, or even seems to contradict it (a 6-day Creation vs. evolution, when history or archaeology seem to contradict the biblical story)? I have concluded that when science contradicts the Bible the Christ follower tests the science (difficult when you're not a Scientist), tests the understanding of the Biblical texts (could we have interpreted them incorrectly?), and then, having done both, wait! Yes, wait. Study, pray, wait.

I can't understand all the sciences, so its difficult for me to do a good job with step #1 (test the Science), my training is in biblical study, but my study is limited too. So the third step should come more easily, but somehow it doesn't.

I read a great article from the archives of Biblical Archaeological Review about the historical truth of the stories of the Patriarchs. We don't have any evidence outside of the Bible for the existence of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, or Joshua. So what DO we know?

The author states: "But the absence of the names of the patriarchs in the extra-Biblical historical record is, in itself, inconclusive: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. What the future {of historical or archaeological discovery} will bring we cannot know, except that it will be full of surprises."

The article demonstrates the consistency of the biblical stories with recent discoveries about the price of slaves during the time of Joseph (Genesis 37:28), the consistency with the covenants & treaties information that has been found from the Patriarchal era (e.g. Genesis 14:13). The article also sites the Geo-political situation of the era of the Patriarchs (12-1800 B.C.), the references to Egypt are consistent with the historical references. There are other areas the article mentions, but the point is that while the specifics of the stories are not confirmed by the evidence, and may never be, but when the stories are consistent with the times they claim to be from, we have a first step in extra-biblical proof.

Does faith need scientific evidence? Think about it.