There was a radio commercial years ago where a standup comedian said, “Stop me if you’ve heard this,” and the audience responded in unison, “Stop. We’ve heard this.” The comedian then asks with a tone of surprise, “You’ve heard this?”

Stop me if you’ve heard this, but where God guides, God provides. 

This is one of those truths worth repeating until it is deeply embedded in our hearts and minds. This is worth committing to memory because there will come a test one day that determines how much we really, really believe this. Do you really, really believe God gave you this direction? Do you really, really trust he will provide what you need to accomplish his purpose?

Several years ago, I began highlighting in the YouVersion Bible app all the Bible texts talking about walking with God, the path, the way, steps, direction, etc. The various Bible translations I use regularly are filled with blue highlights. Sometimes it feels like every page has at least one blue highlight. 

Many books and articles have been written about knowing God’s will. Sermons and Bible studies by multiplied thousands address this topic. Much of what God wants us to do has been determined and preserved in the pages of the Bible. 

God also directs us in the specifics of our time, place, relationships, and work. You have no doubt seen a WWJD bracelet. These letters stand for What Would Jesus Do? This is a good question. Dallas Willard provides a better question. He asks, “What would Jesus do if he were me?” 

What would Jesus do if he was married to your spouse? If he worked at your job? If he lived in your neighborhood? Willard goes on to say God’s question to us when we stand before him one day in judgment may not be, “Why weren’t you more like Jesus,” but instead “Why weren’t you who I created you to be?”

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Part Two: Ephesians 2:10 tells us God has specific plans for our life. These plans are more beautiful and wonderful than any we could dream for ourselves. To live the life of God’s dreams for us, we need to pass the test we find in today’s text. Look at verse 25. 

There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.

God told them what to do. Then he graded them on how they did what he said. Here is the most important lesson we can ever learn and that is to hear and obey God. The second most important lesson in life is to help others hear and obey God. 

God’s instructions and commands are not burdensome. They relieve burdens. They do not cause problems. They solve them. 

Here at the beginning of the Exodus to the Promised Land, God gives instructions and a pop quiz. They failed. The test was not so that God could see what they would do, but to show this mob the kinds of things they needed to live as a nation, a particular people of God’s loving choice, a people chosen to bless the whole world. 

God said,

“If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” 

How do we avoid unnecessary complications and unwanted problems in life? Hear and obey God. 

How do we enjoy all the goodness of God’s good earth? Hear and obey God.

Having failed the Pop Quiz, God graciously tossed those papers in the wastebasket and gave them an opportunity to begin again more intelligently. Take a look at verse 27:

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. 

Let’s review before the next test comes. 
Where God guides, God provides.
God’s instructions are for our benefit so that we can live blessed lives that bless others.
God’s good life for us is exceedingly better than any good life we could imagine for ourselves.

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