Bad to Worse to Wonderful

“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.”  Exodus 5:7

 

Sometimes things go from bad to worse for no apparent reason—at least not what seems like a good one.

The Israelites felt this way when Moses showed up and their circumstances went down. Moses came to Egypt to encourage God’s people and confront Pharaoh, but instead of deliverance, all they got was double duty.  “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota”(Ex 5:7-8).

The demands were impossible, and unbuilt bricks meant beaten backs.  The Jews were furious at God’s messenger and minced no words. “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us”(Ex 5:21). Moses was befuddled and cried out to God.  “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all”(Ex 5:22-23).

“Why, Lord, why?  You haven’t done what You said, and this makes no sense.”  It’s an honest prayer—and not a bad one, but even as we say it, we can be sure the answer lies in the name of the God to whom we call.

“Lord.” There is One who is above us and over us, whose ways are not ours to decide and determine, and who sometimes orchestrates circumstances that don’t make much sense from our side.  But when all we can see is suffering and sorrow, we must remember that the One who is above us and over us is also in us and for us, and the God who cares about the lifespan of simple sparrows is without doubt concerned about His own children. “Don’t be afraid.  You are worth more than many sparrows”(Matt 10:31).

 

As we read the Exodus story, we want to tell the dejected slaves, “Don’t despair!  Deliverance is coming!  Just wait until the next chapter!” and we would do well to take that same advice. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”(2 Cor 4:17).  We are not disposable pawns in an arbitrary celestial chess match being moved and removed with little calculation, but we are dear and precious children, redeemed from the worst form of slavery at the highest possible price and now being prepared for a glorious eternity. Our God will do all He has said, but the “hows” and “when” are up to Him to tell and us to trust.

So when life goes from bad to worse for reasons you just can’t figure out, know that no matter what happens here, the wonderful is coming.  Keep waiting.  Keep trusting.  Keep calling out to the One who hears and is here.

And remember that He is the Lord.