Unexpected Deliverance
We do not serve a disappointing King.
In my life, every tragedy wields the power to threaten how big I believe God to be. I'm inevitably shaken off my firm foundation of the Word and tossed into a sticky sea of doubts. I'm immobilized and my eyes dart madly about trying to find any glimpse of the Lord.
No sign.
"Is He really the great Almighty and powerful God I've always believed in?"
Whenever tragedy strikes, my first prayer is, "God, deliver me." In my whirling, unstable mind, deliverance is the only way I will be able to believe again that God is just as big and real as He says He is.
However, the kind of deliverance He has in mind for me is often quite different from what I pray for...
I've never experienced a hurt and wanted to get past it.
I want it undone; for my life to go back to the way it was before the hurt. Looking towards the future brings more anxiety than hope of healing.
The deliverance I pray for often involves me pleading that God would reverse reality and start over again so I can avoid the pain. I don't care to learn the lessons I need to glean from the hurt. I cherish my past and writhe in my new, painful, and uncertain reality.
But, God says, "The past is not good enough. Let Me show you that I'm bigger than a do-over."
"It's time to journey across another canyon and end up closer to me on the other side."
Scripture reminds me that His idea of deliverance trumps mine any day:
Want to be loved, comforted, and provided for Ruth? Ok. Here is Boaz. But he won't just provide you with a rich life: you two get to model My crazy love for My people, My ridiculously lavish grace, and be in the line of my Son, Jesus.
Want persecution of Jews to stop? Ok. Here is Esther. But she won't just stop Jewish persecution: Jews will become esteemed and My glorious name will penetrate every border, not just Persia's.
Want to be free from Pharaoh Israel? Ok. Here is Moses. But he won't just free you from slavery: as he frees you I will put to shame any and every other opposing god and part the sea for you that I might be feared for generations.
Today, I think when we pray for deliverance, we ask too little of God.
We pray:
"God, heal her cancer."
"God, please let him ask me out."
"God, get me out of here."
"God, bring my parents back together."
"God, let me have a baby."
"God, provide me with a job."
God hears us and says, "Ok. But the deliverance you're asking for will look so different from what you expect. It will be way more awesome because you'll get your deliverance AND a deeper love for Me."
Because God is anything and everything BUT disappointing, the deliverance we pray for looks like it takes many unnecessary twists and turns. It looks like there is no sign of God because He isn't delivering how we expect. The glorious truth is that He wants to give us so much more than deliverance...
He wants to give us more of Himself along the way.
Israel's deliverance from Pharaoh is one of God's many mind-blowing talent shows and is extremely healing for those of us who seek deliverance but feel like we've been forgotten.
Exodus 2:24, "So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them."
What I want to happen next is for Pharaoh to have pity on the Israelites and set them free. Easy heart change. Boom. Done. Movin' on.
But, instead we visit a shepherd.
3:10, "Come now [Moses], therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
Pause. I'm gaping at God and shrieking: "God this is insane! Moses can't even speak well. For goodness sake he MURDERED an Egyptian! Surely the guy he rescued from that Egyptian warned everyone to steer clear of Moses. Best to just do the quick and easy way and make Pharaoh pity the people. No time wasted and no more unnecessary pain."
Apparently God didn't think that my plan was cool enough. In fact, He hardened Pharaoh's heart just to make it more difficult...so He could show off a bit...
*post plagues and crossing of Red Sea*
I'm gaping at God in awe and bowed in intense worship.
Can you even attempt to imagine the wonder that the Israelites felt after seeing God in that way?
If you've ever had an answered prayer and were brought to tears out of love for the Lord...just try to comprehend how overcome the Israelites were.
The last verse of chapter 2 and the 1st verse of chapter 3 in Exodus are immensely comforting and remind us who we serve in the coolest way: Exodus 2:25, 3:1, "And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them...Now Moses..."
God heard the Israelites plea and went straight to the instrument of deliverance. He doesn't mess around when we are hurt. He bends time and space to deliver us.
Just keep in mind, Moses was the deliverance, but, the Israelites couldn't see what was happening at the start.
God is working on a grand spectacle in your life even when it looks like nothing is happening.
Remember, you can't see the actors getting into place before the curtain opens.
And what you are met with, is a rather unexpected kind of glorious deliverance: your heart finds deliverance from its breaks and your soul remembers just how big God is.