No Going Back

"If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"
Number 11:4-6 


So you wanna go back to Egypt, where it's warm and secure.
Are you sorry you bought the one way ticket when you thought you were sure?
You wanted to live in the land of promise, but now it's getting so hard.
Are you sorry you're out here in the desert, instead of your own backyard? 
'So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt' by Keith Green/Melody Green

Although the Israelites had been miraculously delivered from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, they grumbled. The desert was a difficult place. They had to depend on God for everything; food, water, guidance and shelter. When the going became difficult, they thought of the old life. Even though they were slaves, they still ate well and enjoyed the benefits of the Egyptian kingdom. So they grumbled and longed to return to the bondage of slavery. The Promised Land lay ahead of them, but the path to get there was strewn with daily manna, the dry heat of the desert and endless days of travel. Are we sometimes like the grumbling Israelites?
    In all the things that God has promised us, he has never said that the Christian life would be easy. In fact, he has told us that we must persevere. He has warned us that there will be trials and difficulty. We have been forewarned. Yet sometimes in the middle of the spiritual desert, we complain and long for the old life because it was easier. Before we chose to serve Christ, we had it all our way. We could do whatever we wanted and not face consequences--so we thought. But the reality of the old life remains. We were slaves, bound by the devil and destined for hell. There was no rescue for us except one, life with Christ. So we chose this life. God didn't force us, we chose it. The rewards are already ours, but the greatest is yet to come. We have a promised land that is far greater than the Israelites'. It is a reward that is unparalleled by anything the old life has to offer.
    If you sometimes have thoughts of returning to the bondage of the old life, give it up. Though the Christian road may sometimes seem narrow, rocky, and uphill, the reward at the end of that road is glorious. And while we are on the road, God will provide. The manna given to the children of Israel was God's provision and he is still providing manna for us today. He will sustain us. We only need to serve him and follow the path of life he gives us. Though it looks like a desert, if we look carefully, we will see the blooms of life around us. These are the markers of God's presence. He is always with us and he is intimately involved in all of our lives. For us, there is no going back!