The Parenthesis of God’s Plan
The Biblical account of Israel’s journey from captivity unto the promised land, is not only a tribute to the determination of our most Holy God, but it is also exciting reading that has transferred its excitement to movies and plays and stories told in many different forms. It is also an outline for hope in God when circumstances and predictions offer no hope but in God – and God offers scant evidence of the certainty of His good purposes. Israel, footsore and hungry, was sprung free from Egypt, but far from the realization of the Promised Land and as yet unaware of the troubles to be met in that land of milk and honey. Israel was in the parenthesis of God’s perfect plan. Life in the parenthesis is as mystifying to us today as it was to Israel then. What is this parenthetical period when we are out of one land of deprivation and not yet into the land of plenty? Life is like that – and so is hope! Hope is the flag under which we march when the flag that fostered our first enthusiasm lost its colors in the battle for survival. At such a time we are in the parenthesis of obedience and can gain wisdom from the very words God gave to His children in the wilderness. Poor Moses! – a worthy leader although he began as a basket case, standing tall in the tedium of small miseries, poor Moses! – hearing the taunts and belaborings of a multitude who gauged the future by every slimy ditch of circumstances! Poor Moses! – whose executive leadership under God had brought a multitude out of Egypt across a godly path in the midst of the Red Sea and was now confronted by that multitude suffering hunger, thirst and no comfy motel in the maplessness of wilderness wanderings. And what did God give Moses in that eternal moment of despair? He gave to Moses holy advice as relevant to today’s quandary as it was to Israel long ago. I know it is to me and it may be unto you, this in essence is God’s command to us who find ourselves in the parenthesis of life’s journey, grateful for being out of what was before but hungry for the certainty of where we are going. God’s command is terse and relevant: Stand still! God said, stand on what you know that you know! Stand on the trampled patterning of your faith. Stand still, you crying wanderer! Stand still, God says, and watch Me work!!! You, trapped in the parenthesis, you have the best seat in the house to watch God work! When you have done all you can do, it is time to see clearly what God will do. That is faith, stubborn, durable, pertinent faith. And the very God Who led us out will lead us in, if even for no other reason than His Promise!
Songs in the desert ring truer than songs in the shore. Sing now, in the parenthesis and you will be better rehearsed for the singing in the land. In fact, if Israel had sung her songs in the parenthesis, she would have had music well rehearsed for the land of blessing. Bless Miriam’s heart and tambourine, she had the right idea. Sing! Praise the Lord! Even in the parenthesis!!!
