Sermon Tone Analysis
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*Thomas** S. Myers*
*ENJOYING THE PRESENCE OF GOD*
*Exodus 13:17-14:29*
A family was having family devotions.
The father explained that they were going to look at the presence of God.
His 5 year old daughter said, "Oh good daddy, I like presents."
Her father said, "Honey, I don't mean presents, like birthday presents, I mean the presence, like how God is present here."
As we enter Exodus chapter 13 and 14 we come to the miracle of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea on dry ground.
But there is a greater miracle in Exodus chapter 13 & 14.
It is this: That God is always present and will take care of whatever we go through.
What we need to do is to take care of how we go through difficulties.
No matter what you go through, God's presence is there.
This section of Scripture illustrates that when you recognize that God is present and that He is there to lead you, there is no need to panic, no need to worry, fret or stew.
From this section of Scripture we learn 4 very vital principles.
*FIRST -- WHEN GOD LEADS, IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE ___________ DISTANCE.*
*EXODUS 13:17-18** *
*17 **When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.
For God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." **18 **So** God led the people around by the desert road toward** **the Red Sea.
The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.
(NIV)*
It is interesting that from verse 17 God did not lead the Israelites by the shortest route.
And as a matter of fact look at Verse 18 and notice how God led them.
Notice the word *"around" (niv),*
*1** "ABOUT" (kj)*.*"**
*The Hebrew word literally means that God led the children of Israel in circles.
Literally translated it would say, "God led the people in circles by the desert."
Can you see the children of Israel marching in circles?
Was it a mistake?
Not at all.
Did God know what He was doing?
Of course He did.
This was a divine detour.
We say that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points, but it may not always be the best distance.
You see, sometimes you can get where you're going to quickly or even end up in the wrong place.
The year was 1920.
The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries.
Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith.
One dream dominated his heart.
He wanted to be a missionary.
Over and over again, he prayed, "Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you.
Open a door of service for me."
Now, at last, his prayer would be answered.
When the examination was over, the board turned Oswald Smith down.
He did not meet their qualifications.
He failed the test.
Oswald Smith had set his direction, but now life gave him a detour.
What would he do?
As Oswald Smith prayed, God planted another idea in his heart.
If he could not go as a missionary, he would build a church that could send out missionaries.
And that is
what he did.
Oswald Smith pastored The People's Church in Toronto, Canada, which sent out more missionaries than any other church.
I can see the children of Israel, marching out of Egypt taking this detour, this cul-de-sac because God has a greater plan.
And they're doing it with dignity and confidence.
According to *VERSE 18*, they are even armed to do combat.
They are so eager to enter the destination of the promised land.
However, when you follow God's will, it may not always be the shortest way to your destination, but it is always the best way.
Since God did not lead the children of Israel by the shortest distance, where did He lead them?
Look at VERSE 18.
*Exodus 13:18** *
*18 **So** God led the people around by the desert road ... (NIV)*
God led them into a wilderness.
Is that where God is leading you?
Is God leading you in circles, in a wilderness?
Now you can grumble and complain or you can trust that God is leading you.
Do you know what is interesting?
The children of Israel are not grumbling.
Now that is unusual for any congregation, right?
The question that I want to ask is, why aren't they grumbling?
Why isn't there any complaints about going in a circle?
Why isn't there the gripes about being led about in a wilderness?
Let me tell you why they are not grumbling?
The answer is found in the second principle:
In their leading, they recognized the presence of God.
*SECOND -- IN GOD'S LEADING, ________________ THAT GOD'S PRESENCE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU.
** *
The reason they are not grumbling at this point is that they recognize that God's presence is with them.
Look at:
* *
*EXODUS 13:21*
*21 **By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
(NIV)*
They had the unmistakable presence of God leading them.
During the day, the Lord God's presence was manifested by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
As long as they looked straight ahead and as long as they looked up they saw the God was with them and leading them.
It did not make any difference to them if they were being lead in a circle, cul-de-sac, or a dead end.
You see that is the way it is when you recognize that God's presence is with you.
When you know that God is with you,
there is nothing to grumble about, and there is nothing fear, but there is plenty to rejoice about.
Charles Swindoll's sister Lucy Swindoll was a field representative for her alma mater.
She was traveling around the Southwest reaching potential students.
As she was driving down the interstate, she sensed that she was being followed.
Since she was alone and it was dark, she became very uneasy.
To see if she was really being followed, she pulled off the interstate into a small town.
The car behind her also turned.
She made a right turn, the other car also turned.
She made a left turn, the car again followed her.
Now she knew she was definitely being followed.
She quickly pulled into a motel, rushed into the lobby and registered.
She noticed that the car was now parked, with its lights on, just a half block away.
After registering, she got back into her car and drove to her room.
She grabbed her suitcase, quickly locked the car, and ran to her room.
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