Exodus 29:46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
Numbers 14:4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

Egypt a place of slavery, chains, sweat, blood, tears. A place of mourning, sorrow, imprisonment. It was once the place that we cried out “Deliver us” from the pits of despair. We felt alone, unseen, unheard. Bitterness dripped from our brow; our hearts hardened with anger. We wept with tears of great sorrow. Egypt looks different for each person, but it is a place that we begin to look for God to save us from ourselves and the circumstances we are in. And yet we find a merciful God who parts the waters and makes a path for us to step out in faith and follow him. But to where? We walk through only to find a vast wilderness. Our chains are broken, we are set free, and we step out only to find what looks like a desert, a place of thorns and thistles, a lonely and treacherous land. And now we find ourselves wanting to go back to Egypt.

Egypt a place of rich foods, gold, music, fine linen. A place of merchants with spices, chickens, sheep, cows. A place of luxury and indulgence. We stop remembering the place of slavery and chains and see Egypt as a place of pleasure, however small they may have been. A place of comfort. Don’t be fooled by comfort, there you will always be a prisoner and never grow. Comfort will make you believe the chains, the prison, the back breaking and spirit crushing slavery is not as bad as the walk across the wilderness with God.

Step out with confidence and trust in the Lord. Know that he is with you each step of the way. Remember the story of the Israelites as traveled across the wilderness.
Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
God was with them every step of the way. He did not pull you out of the prison to abandon you in the wilderness. But we must walk across the wilderness with God to get to the promised land. Don’t go back to Egypt. Do not return to who you were when you first cried out to God for help. That person no longer exists once you are freed. Egypt will never be what you remembered it to be once you have encountered the miracles and the saving grace of God.

Isaiah 43:18-19 Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Isaiah 43:2-3 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. for I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your savior; I gave Egypt your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

God delivered you from the very things you begged for freedom and forgiveness of. He brought you out of the place of fear, condemnation, shame, worthlessness, humiliation and hurt. Yet as we stand in the wilderness unsure of our footsteps, staring around us wondering where we are. Wondering if we made a mistake by walking in faith out of the prison. Remember that God is by your side. Remember his plans for you are beyond your understanding and that all will be revealed in time. The wilderness is to learn to trust. It’s a place of peace, redemption, refining, freedom. Freedom from all the things that distract you from keeping your eyes on God and trusting Him fully.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

I pray that as you stand on the outside of your Egypt that you walk forward in faith and trust in the Lord. Step forward from what He delivered you from and find the perfect peace, the wonderful healing, the beautiful relationship of walking with God. Egypt may look good sometimes, but it wasn’t, it was the place you cried out in pain for someone to deliver you. May each of you keep the faith and continue to walk in God’s presence and rely on Him fully. May you find yourself further from Egypt with no desire to ever return to a place of suffering. I pray blessings upon each of you as you walk with God. May you lean on Him and let nothing distract you from the paths he has made for you. With love always.