Daily Devotional Series: The Road Most Travelled

Feb 2, 2025

Day 2, Month 2

Matt 11:1-19, Acts 16:1-15, Psalm 25, Exodus 4-6

“Doubt it.” That’s exactly what I imagine Moses saying in response to the big promises God was putting in front of him as He laid out His master plan to redeem the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. I mean, come on—these people have been enslaved for 200 years, Egypt is the global superpower of the day, and Moses? He’s just a guy who tried to do the right thing the wrong way (the whole murdering-the-Egyptian situation), which led to him fleeing to the wilderness of Midian. There, he found a wife, settled down, and quietly lived out his days tending his father-in-law’s herds.

But let’s give him credit. He showed himself full of faith by only questioning God’s command a little before going against all rationality—though God is rational and even reassured him, “Don’t worry, the men who sought your life are dead. Just go.” And so, Moses returned to Egypt, stood before the people to proclaim God’s coming redemption, and faced Pharaoh, demanding the release of Israel.

We know how that went. "Take away their materials but maintain their quota." It seemed like God’s promises had returned void, didn’t it? Moses certainly felt that way:

"O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (Ex. 5:22-23).

I don’t think it’s hard for most of us to relate to Moses in this moment. God, I faithfully followed your calling—to this place, this job, this person—yet all it’s led to is more struggle, pain, and burden. Why did You lead me here? Why did You send me in the first place? Sound familiar? I know it does to me.

But then I come to a passage like Psalm 25:8-10:

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness."

It’s hard to see God’s goodness in moments like Moses experienced. But this verse doesn’t imply that God shows Himself good by handing us everything on a silver platter. Instead, He shows His goodness through instruction. He teaches sinners the way they should go. And who are sinners? Those who recognize their state—some might call that humility. This is the kind of person God leads and teaches.

But humility isn’t something we’re born into; it’s something we are forged into. And how does that forging happen? Through fire. Through heat. Pressure. Resistance. This is God’s chosen path—the path of steadfast love and faithfulness is one of forging. The fire, the heat, the pressure, and the resistance are the very roads we must travel to truly see the goodness of God.

This is why Jesus doesn’t hesitate to remind us that this has always been the way: "The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt. 11:12). From the moment God chose to redeem His people out of Egypt to the day He entered the fire Himself to redeem us from the bondage of sin, His chosen path has always been one of resistance.

Because Jesus Himself walked this road, we can be confident that when we encounter resistance, it is not meant to break us but to forge us. And in that forging, we experience God’s goodness, uprightness, steadfast love, and faithfulness. So today, when plans go wrong, when they’re interrupted (sometimes, like in Acts 16:5-6, not even due to worldly brokenness), or when they lead to disappointment, remember: this place—this place of humility—is where God leads and teaches.