Sometimes we tend to write off certain parts of the Bible, thinking that perhaps books like Exodus and Leviticus aren’t relevant to us anymore.
But as Phil shares with us today in the 5th day of this devotional series, one of the most beautiful things about the Bible is that it’s one big story, with each and every word of it pointing us to Jesus.
(Just joining us for the series? Start with Day 1.)
This is a testimony song! I always think of the Israelites standing at the other side of the Red Sea when I sing this. They just witnessed a mind-blowing miracle, a wild display of Yahweh’s power. Slavery and captivity now behind them. Promise and freedom before them. Thank you Jesus for rewriting our stories by your grace!
What’s radical about the story of the Exodus is that once Israel was safely on dry land on the other side of the Red Sea, the Bible tells us they did one thing: they worshiped! They sang, they danced, they even broke out the tambourines…seriously. When anyone experiences the depth of God’s strong, rescuing power, praise is the only natural response!
If you fast forward a millennia and a half later to the birth of Jesus, Matthew 2 says his family fled to Egypt for a time to escape Herod. Years later, Jesus’ family was called out of Egypt and back to the land of Israel. Any Jewish reader would have made the connection that Jesus’ life was re-telling Israel’s story. This connection is important and here’s why: after the Exodus, despite God’s faithfulness, His people were unable to live faithfully to Him. Jesus, by coming in human form, was able to retell not only Israel’s story, but all our stories. Rather than our relationship to God being determined by our righteousness or faithfulness, it is determined by His righteousness and faithfulness!
This is our testimony: not only has Jesus rescued us momentarily, but he has redeemed us eternally through the cross! “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Here are a couple ways to let the power of our testimony propel us towards worship:
1. Take a few minutes and write out YOUR story. How has Jesus delivered you? If you haven’t yet, tell someone your story!
2. Oftentimes, when we tell our testimony we can make ourselves the main character. Think back upon your story of salvation and notice God’s hand at work, and give Him praise for it!
Praise the Lord that Jesus was willing to come to earth in human form, to live the perfect life that none of us possibly could, and made a way for us to spend eternity with him!
What’s your story of salvation? How did you finally come to accept Jesus as Lord of your life? Share with us in the comments!
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I have loved Jesus since I was born, before I was born. When in India as a little girl, living in Jaipur on the outskirts of the city , the desert on the other side of the backyard wall, my big sister and I decided we wanted to go for a walk in the desert,….as we had wanted to many times before. We went looking for things, and signs of life on the desert floor, and found only absence of things and signs of life…after looking intently for at least a salamander, lizard, little plant , cactus… It began to come to mind , that we could not see the wall. We both began reasoning , while I began thinking there has to be someone that will find us , will come , ..and I felt and sensed a presence beyond the two of us in that great expanse of desert , and began to believe or have faith , that something ,someone bigger than us was with us , and could see us there , ‘alone’ in the desert. Just as I began to waver within, my sister also, looking ahead again , suddenly saw a thin , thin line …. We recalled that it had been said that if on the desert too long people begin to imagine they see something ….like water , … or other things, so we talked about this fact and wondered if were seeing things ….. decided that if we walked a bit closer in that direction ,… and looked again , if we saw the line again , we would know it was not imagination., and I still felt the presence , huge presence, that just had to be God,. Encouraged by our reasoning , we walked forward and we saw that it was the wall. Then there was the thought that …. how far along the wall are we from our home , the bungalow , as there were bungalows all along the other side of the wall, and all looked the same . Quelling joy, we sedately walked closer to the wall thinking of he who was above us , with us , and guided us , as it could only have been God that we arrived back at the wall , I felt in heart, after being in the expanse of the desert, ..To our amazement , and massive relief, as we came up to the wall , on the other side of it we could see our bungalow. The terror we worked on being pushed down all the while we were ‘lost ‘ in the desert ;was solely possible to push down only due to the sense of the ever present …. who was God with us, and the hope we gave each other that is hope within, hope that comes from God , that is God. Praise God from who all blessings flow. Jesus Lives, Jesus Is, Jesus Loves. Blessings to you.