Encouragement

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Some time ago, I did a study on the arrival of the nation of Israel in the Promised Land and their initial stop at Gilgal (which derives from a root word meaning: to roll, roll away, roll down, or roll together). This was just after they had crossed the Jordan River, entering the Promised Land after 40 years in the desert.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were old enough to bear arms when they left Egypt had died. For they had disobeyed the LORD, and the LORD vowed he would not let them enter the land he had sworn to give us--a land flowing with milk and honey. Jos. 5:6

The adults who had walked out of Egypt all had died (except for Joshua and Caleb). Those that entered the Promised Land were a new generation, a generation who had not been circumcised.

And their children, [whom] he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. Jos. 5:7

Now, notice the next two verses:

And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. Jos. 5:8-9

The Lord said to Joshua, "This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." As I read this in the study I was doing, I just wanted to shout AMEN. I think at one time we may all experience a time when we have felt as though we were wondering in a desert, even going through a time of doubting the Word, fearing and refusing to obey God in something.

The amazing thing is that God doesn't just drop us where we are and walk away. I thank and praise Him that He hasn't in my life. He still leads us, He still brings us, coaxes, and draws us along. And as we follow, as we begin to obey and to go where He leads, and as we seek Him, He does bring us into the place He promised. Then, when we put off the sin of our fleshly natures (our natural pursuit of our own desires) in repentance (our spiritual circumcision), in recognition of His great love and mercy, and in thankfulness for His grace, He rolls off the reproach of our Egypt, our past. He renews and restores us.

[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. Lam. 3:22-23

He is the God of the second chance, and when you have returned to Him in repentance, receive His forgiveness. Let go of the reproach. It is His will and His way to roll it off of you. Don't pick it back up and carry on with it. He has freed you to lay claim to the promises He has given you. Let it go, let the past go, in faith, thanking and praising Him for His forgiveness and compassion. Then, go on with Him into the land of victory, peace, and provision that He has given you.

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