Whatever It Takes

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.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.  Exodus 13:17-18

Whatever it Takes!
By Rev. William Dohle

"I'll do whatever it takes!"  What would you say that for?

Not everything for sure.  We wouldn't do "whatever it takes" for the things that don't matter.  Cars, homes, and material possessions don't really matter in the long run.  When push comes to shove, we abandon these things to save what we would save with "whatever it takes."

Times to do "whatever it takes" don't present themselves often for us.  Usually only in dire emergencies, but you can imagine what you would do if...

• ...your son or daughter were sick with cancer.
• ...your family depended upon you...or upon your job...to survive
• ...you worked in a life-or-death profession where the lives of other people were in the balance.
• ...you could save only yourself and your loved ones from a raging fire.

In fact, most of us don't understand "doing whatever it takes."  Not really.  Most of us have never in a position to have to do "whatever it takes."

But God was in this position.  As God led the people of Israel from Egypt, God was certain to do "whatever it takes" to get them out of there.

First he sends plague after plague to show his wonders.
Next he strikes down the firstborn to free his people from Pharaoh.
And now, he does "whatever it takes" to make sure they're free.

First... he leads them away from war.  "If they face war, they may change their minds..."
Then... he leads them on their way...with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Later... when he leads them to the Red Sea, he parts the waters before them.
Then... when Pharaoh sends his soldiers in pursuit, he brings the waters down against them.

All because God loved them!  All because God chose them!  All because God will do "whatever it takes!"

Sometimes I think we forget that God's love knows no limits.  We'd like to limit God, by our own choices or free will or by the actions of others.  We think: "Surely God won't go there!  Surely God will stop loving us if we reject him, abandon him, or deny him!  Surely God will turn his back if we turn away, right?"

And yet the Bible reminds us, over and over again, that God will do whatever it takes to rescue us, to save us, to redeem us, and to have us as His own.  God will even send His Son, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law so that we might become God's children!  That's how far God will go...and has gone...to save us!

So...the next time you are faced with such a decision...a decision to do (or not to do) whatever it takes, remember that God has done and continues to do whatever it takes to claim you as His own.  He's done it in the past...and He continues to do it into the future!

God of Israel, you show us time and again how far you're willing to go to rescue your children.  Remind us too of your unfailing, unchanging love through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.