Situations change. Sometimes, we’re going through hard times – but blessing may be just around the corner. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, we read about the people of Israel, suffering in the land of Egypt. Would their suffering go on and on… Would it never come to an end? Then came their deliverance from the Egyptians? Was it an easy road for them, once they were out of Egypt? No! It wasn’t. There were forty years of wandering around in the wilderness. Was there a better future for them? – Yes! The younger generation (and Caleb and Joshua – from the older generation) were led by God into the promised land. The story that began in the book of Exodus continues on in the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. From there, it moves on, into the promised land, in the book of Joshua. You may be thinking, “All of this happened such a long time ago. What does it have to do with us – today.” Like the people of Israel, we, also, have our hard times. We wonder if the hard times will ever come to an end? We wonder if the good times will ever return to us again? Like the people of ancient Israel, we can be blessed by the Lord – and, then, make a right mess of things. Like the Israelites, we find ourselves in a wilderness. Like them, we need to hear the Word of the Lord. We need to receive encouragement from the Lord. We need to be reminded of his love for us. The story of Israel comes to us from a long, long time ago – but it’s much more than a story for a long, long time ago. It’s for us. It’s for today. Read about Israel. Learn about the God who led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the promised land. This God was their God – and he is our God.
Learning From God's Word 
Thanks, Donald, Eileen and Ryan, for liking this post. God bless each of you.