Sometimes, out of the blue, a terrible announcement comes that upends the lives of everyone involved. The unfortunate people of Ukraine, invaded by Russia, are a recent example. Guilty of nothing except being good neighbors, they today endure tragedy, struggle and hardship.

The descendants of Abraham living in Egypt received such an announcement. As their population grew, the king feared an uprising. He discussed the problem with his advisors. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.

His idea? Enslave and oppress the Israelites. Put them to hard labor and work them ruthlessly.

I wonder how the announcement took place? Did rumors swirl first? Or did bands of soldiers enter the Israeli villages and herald the change out of the blue? How did the men feel? The wives and mothers and children? Certainly hearts sank and fears multiplied.

Eventually Pharaoh’s plan backfired when Moses, led by the Lord, walked out of Egypt at the head of the oppressed. But that came years later. Moses was not even born when this proclamation boomed out. At the time, little hope existed. People clung only to old stories about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and a promised land.

Terrible announcements come swiftly, with no foreseeable hope. In such situations we can only cling to the Lord and pray his plan, as we read in the old stories, is still in the works.

Exodus 1 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Hussain Badshah

David revealed much about prayer and approaching God in his psalms. His words always seem fresh and honest and even unscripted at times. Two prayers stand out to me from his thoughts in Psalm 25.

The first—Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Then the second—Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.

David turned to the Lord for guidance, to understand the scriptures and to walk in the ways of God. I often pray along the same lines, Lord, what is your will?

But David also suffered hatred from enemies and threats to his life. In those times of feeling cornered, days of intense loneliness, David approached the Lord for relief. Free me from my anguish—who of us have never prayed such a prayer?

Turn to the Lord for guidance and turn to the Lord in pain. David continually turned to the Lord, and I may do so as well.

Psalm 25 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Aaron Burden

As a kid I used to swear my loyalty to a cause with the phrase cross my heart, hope to die, stick a thousand needles in my eye. After such a promise my devotion remained unquestioned.

At the end of his life, Jacob asked a pledge of his son Joseph. If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.

Promising with a hand under a thigh sounds strange to our ears, but at the time it signified a solemn guarantee. No stronger vow existed. To agree meant I’ll do it or die trying.

God’s promise to Abraham passed down through Isaac to Jacob and centered on the land of Canaan. To return to the land—even for burial—focused the minds of these patriarchs. Later, Joseph on his deathbed asked to have his bones carried to the promised land, which Moses took care to do several hundred years later.

Shortly after the death of his father, Joseph followed through on his promise, leading a large retinue of family and friends in a weeks-long funeral procession into the promised land.

Joseph’s unfailing devotion to his father echos to this day, a beautiful refection of how God placed his hand under our thigh and promised—never will I leave you nor forsake you.

Genesis 47 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Ave Calvar

A couple days ago, while waiting to fly from Guatemala City, I read a quote by Francis de Sales, a Catholic saint who died in 1622. In his works he thoughtfully described how we form ourselves spiritually as we live our faith.

In speaking of mundane or frustrating experiences, De Sales tells us, this is the path to heaven—speak this to yourself in the midst of your contradictions. I took his words to mean that we grow and develop and reach into eternity as we endure the challenging parts of life, and learn to see the Lord’s hand behind them. I need to ask, what might the Lord be building in my life through such experiences?

Then, the rest of my day involved delays, long lines at passport control, and rushing through the next airport only to be delayed further. Lots of hurry up and wait before finally hitting my pillow at 1:30 am.

Was I cursed by De Sales?

I doubt it. I just perfectly experienced the life he described. Not much has changed. Through snares and inconveniences we live, and this is the path to heaven.

Long before, Jesus described the path to heaven – I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). His way is narrow and climbing. The path brings stubbed toes and missed flights. But as De Sales and Jesus reminds us, it’s the only path worth following.

Photo by Markus Spiske