God’s timing is always right—wait patiently for Him.

耐心等候，因上帝掌握最佳时机。

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. Exodus 13:17

法老容百姓去的时候，非利士地的道路虽近，上帝却不领他们从那里走。

-出埃及记13章17节

Life’s path is often difficult. So if we expect that God will always give us an easy road, we may be tempted to turn our back on Him when the terrain gets tough.

人生的道路通常不容易走，若我们期待上帝总是让我们走轻松的路，那么在遇到坎坷时，我们就可能背弃上帝。

If you’ve ever considered doing that, think about the people of Israel. When they were given freedom from the Egyptians after hundreds of years of bondage, they took off for the Promised Land. But God didn’t send them straight home. He “did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter” (Ex. 13:17). Instead He sent them on the hard road through the desert. In the short run, this helped them avoid wars (v. 17), but in the long run, there was something bigger at work.

如果你曾想求上帝给你一条容易走的路，不妨想想以色列百姓的遭遇。他们历经几百年在埃及为奴的日子之后，最终获得自由，前往应许之地。但是上帝并没有让他们直达目的地，“非利士地的道路虽近，上帝却不领他们从那里走” (出埃及记13章17节) ，上帝反而带领他们穿越险阻的沙漠。短期来看，这能让以色列百姓避免战事 (17节) ；但就长远来看，上帝还有更宏大的计划要进行。

God used that time in the desert to instruct and mature the people He had called to follow Him. The easy road would have led them to disaster. The long road prepared the nation of Israel for their successful entry into the Promised Land.

以色列百姓在旷野的日子，其实是上帝要教导这些祂拣选的人，使他们更加成熟。那条容易走的路可能让以色列百姓遭难，而漫长难走的路却能装备以色列百姓，让他们成功地进入应许之地。

Our God is faithful, and we can trust Him to lead us and care for us no matter what we face. We may not understand the reason for the path we are on, but we can trust Him to help us grow in faith and maturity along the way.

我们的上帝是信实的，无论面临什么困境，我们可以相信祂会带领与看顾我们。可能我们无法了解为何上帝要我们走这条路，但我们可以信靠祂，祂将一路伴随，帮助我们的信心日益成长，灵命也更为成熟。

Lord, we cannot see the path ahead, 

so we must trust that the way is right and 

that it is the best road for us to take.

Please encourage us, and teach us 

as we let You direct our path.

主啊，我们看不见前面的道路。
因此，我们必须相信祢让我们走的道路，
一定是正确的，对我们也是最好的。
求祢引导我们人生的旅程，鼓励并教导我们。

Exodus 13:17-22 New International Version (NIV)

Crossing the Sea

17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”

20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

出埃及 13:17-22

17 法老容百姓去的时候，非利士地的道路虽近，神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：“恐怕百姓遇见打仗后悔，就回埃及去。” 18 所以神领百姓绕道而行，走红海旷野的路。以色列人出埃及地，都带着兵器上去。 19 摩西把约瑟的骸骨一同带去，因为约瑟曾叫以色列人严严地起誓，对他们说：“神必眷顾你们，你们要把我的骸骨从这里一同带上去。” 20 他们从疏割起行，在旷野边的以倘安营。 21 日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路，夜间在火柱中光照他们，使他们日夜都可以行走。 22 日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。

整理：于姊妹