Matthew 2:13 "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."
The commands to "flee" and "stay there until I bring you word" applies as much to believers of today as it did to Joseph. Joseph at least knew that he had to protect the Divine child from Herod, but sometimes believers don't understand God's direction at all. The closer God's people walk with God, the more their lives resemble a series of sovereign "flee and wait" iterations.
God's Word has no lack of instruction about how to navigate the "flee and wait" of life. But the fallen nature of believers generally fights to navigate life on the basis of personal expectations or desires rather than consulting the Word. From above, God's people must look like restless birds beating wildly against the cage bars of sovereign circumstances.
But thankfully, God desires to develop a quiet, patient, trusting life of godly contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-7) in His people, and that is great gain indeed! Let God's people be honest about their need though, so that each day when they turn to Christ - it is for His righteousness and not merely as a way to feel warm, fuzzy and self-justified.
I turn to Christ because in my heart I say,
"I'll stay where you put me Lord, but I'd rather go somewhere else. I'll march in the cloud of witnesses, but I'm better suited to lead. I'll walk with God in devotions, but I wish it would bring some applause. I'll stand and fight for the right Lord, but the battle should go my way. I'll work as long as I must, but I'd rather find something exciting.
I'll suffer life's sorrows stoically, but I better get a reward.
I know it's Your plan and Your way, but sometimes it just doesn't work out the way I want."
It is absolutely true that "my flesh and my heart fail (all the time), BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever". (Psalm 73:26)
Thanks be to God's sovereign control so that Joseph fled and stayed in Egypt to preserve the Divine baby, my Savior. If He had not, Christ would not cover the constant failure of my flesh and heart. Hold me Lord in the places where you send me, and give me strength to wait until You bring me Word.
