The Lord has a way of repeating verses and themes through different stages of my life to teach me something.  Not that long ago the phrase “I’m the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt” seemed to permeate everything I was connected with.  It was on the radio, in my Bible study, and in conversation with other believers.  So what does that mean to us?

While none of us were around when this amazing event occurred, there is a striking parallel between the rescue of God’s people and our own lives.  Each one of us begins in the bonds of slavery, born in and with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:1, Ephesians 2:3).  Without a rescuer we have no hope of ever being truly free.

As I have conversed with literally thousands of people over the years, it seems that each one of us has a specific bend when it comes to “Our Egypt”.  What is it that specifically holds us in bondage? Is it selfishness, lust, anger, or pride or maybe all of them?  What captivates our attention so that we don’t even think of Christ and our need for Him?

It is important that we don’t forget that God has rescued us from that Egypt. I know this because 63 times the phrase “brought you out of Egypt” is used in scripture and even more verses reference this event.  I think there are 4 lessons I learned through meditating on these passages:

1. We cannot rescue ourselves – We need the constant reminder that it is God who rescues us, not our efforts and attempts to be good.  The thought that we can rescue ourselves runs deep in our veins as a result of our flesh and its lusts.  Lust to be in power and control.  Let go and be rescued.  Take rest in your fully sufficient Savior today!

2. We need to focus on our rescuer – I have to confess that I was thinking to myself “God’s people are really stupid”.  They have seen the miracles of God and still whine and complain and don’t follow well as if somehow I was following better.  My pride was welling up in me just as it did them.  As a gentle Father, He revealed to me my need to confess and repent of my pride and focus on Him.  When we focus on ourselves, we just like those being led from Egypt, will stumble, fall and quickly become distracted.

3. Egypt wasn’t better than being led by God – Remember how they complained about food, water and even accused God of hatting them after He was the very one who saved them.  When we are focused on ourselves, we don’t see our sin and past bondage as it really was.  It looks easier and almost pleasant.  We forget its clutches and all of the pain, scars, and lonliness.  We must meditate on the beauty of our Lord, His love for us, and the Works of His hands.  We must not forget what we were rescued out of..God’s way is better!

– We are not to run from the story of our rescue or dress it up with how well we listened to God and followed Him.  We are to truthfully share our depravity and His amazing hand of rescue.  After all we have been bought for a price.  We are no longer slaves to sin.  Paul even identifies himself now as a slave of Christ.  I never get tired of telling the story of my rescue from Egypt, on the contrary it fills me with excitement and energizes me while it centers me on Christ.

If you are still trapped in your Egypt, confess to Him today and ask for forgiveness.  Fix your eyes on Him.  If you have been rescued and have lost sight of your God, remember your Egypt and the Lord’s rescue, turn back and fix your eyes on Him.  If you eyes are fixed on Him, let His great deeds and praise flow from your mouth.

Know Jesus as Lord, Live as He is alive in you, and Speak of the great things He has done in your life today!