Are You Going to Rest?
God, Pharaoh, and the Exodus of our Hearts
(If you’d rather listen than read, there’s an audio version available here for paid subscribers.)
Lent is a time when we re-visit the Exodus story of God leading His people out of slavery, through the wilderness, and into the freedom of the promised land, so that we can recall our own journey out of slavery to sin into the freedom of life in Christ.
But do you know how the story starts? With God instructing Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the people go away and spend time with their God. A simple, three-day journey into the wilderness to have a feast for Yahweh.
Pharaoh’s response may as well be our own whenever we’re invited to take time away for prayer:
“Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work?... Behold, the people of the land are now many and you make them rest from their burdens!”
In other words: there’s too much to be done! Who has time to leave their work?
The Fight for the Heart of God’s People
The entire Exodus story that we learn in childhood - the burning bush, the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea – is written as a kind of Biblical “showdown” between God and Pharaoh. God’s people have forgotten their heritage of faith, passed down through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They’ve found themselves under the authority of a false god, the god of the Egyptians, and their Heavenly Father wants to rescue them.
Whose power will win the people over? Which divinity will the people choose to submit themselves to? Will they choose hard labour under Pharaoh or rest and worship under Yahweh?
Which will we choose, this Lent?
This is a question that persists even after God has rescued his people from slavery under Pharaoh. They’ve witnessed the ten plagues, they’ve been spared in the Passover, they’ve miraculously passed through the Red Sea safely, turning around to see Pharaoh’s army drowned. They are no longer slaves. What more could they want?
It turns out, the people aren’t so sure about freedom, or about the rest that comes with it. They’re more comfortable with the old ways, the familiarity of hard labour, that at least provided them with earnings.
“If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!”
Here they are, first-hand witnesses to the miraculous power of Yahweh who has made them free men and women, and yet they don’t trust Him to provide for their needs.
Do we?
So God, once again, sends a miracle. Not just one miracle, but a miracle every single day. He sends them their daily bread, manna from heaven. They don’t have to work for it, they haven’t earned it, they simply need to gather it up and eat their fill.
There’s just one caveat: the bread is enough for each day, and no more. If their distrust gets the better of them, and they gather extra, it won’t be any good for the next day—except in preparation for the sabbath day of rest, when God sends double the amount to last them through. God really wants them to trust Him to provide, and really wants them to learn to rest.
You might imagine what happens next.
“On the seventh [sabbath] day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.’”
Finally,
“the people rested on the seventh day.”
Will we?
What About Us?
Lent offers us a chance to consider our own trust in God. When have we seen Him working in our lives? When have we experienced His saving power? Do we believe that He will come through for us again? Do we trust him to provide our daily bread? Or are we more like the Israelites: witnesses to God’s interventions on our behalf, but scared to leave behind our work—no matter how burdensome—because at least we can provide for ourselves with it?
This Lent, are we willing to give up our work, our self-sufficiency, our reliance on “false gods”, and enter into a time of rest and worship with our Saviour?
Some Practical Questions to Pray / Journal With
If you’re not sure how to begin, here's a simple way to start: set aside some time each Sunday for rest and personal prayer. Take ten minutes after church or in the evening before bed and prayerfully reflect on these questions. Don’t be afraid to be honest with God. (Moses sure wasn’t! Read Exodus 3 & 4 if you’re feeling nervous about it.)
What “false gods” am I a “slave” to? What holds me back from true freedom? Some kind of sin? False beliefs about who I am or who God is? Excessive attachment to some created good?
When have I seen God at work in my life? What was that experience like? When have I seen answered prayer in my life or the lives of those around me? Was it what I expected? Was I surprised or disappointed in some way?
Do I trust God completely? Or am I holding onto self-sufficiency? Do I want to trust God more? What is one small step I could take towards deeper trust?
How have you embraced rest in your life? What enabled you to trust God more? Do you identify with the ancient Israelites in their struggle to live like they really are God’s people? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you’re at a place in life where rest feels impossible, it might be time to (prayerfully) discern your priorities and make plans to live more intentionally & peacefully. And if you’d like some help doing that? Well, that’s what I’m here for! Read all about 1:1 life consulting and get in touch for a free consult.