Barrier Broken Forever - Day 45, Month 2 Week 7 Day 3

Today’s reading (Bible in 1 year) 


Exodus 14:13-15:21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2014%3A13-15%3A21&version=NASB1995

Psalm 38 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2038&version=NASB1995

Isaiah 35 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2035&version=NASB1995

Matthew 27:27-56 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027%3A27-56&version=NASB1995


Barrier Broken Forever


“Truly this was the Son of God!”  These were the words of the centurion and those with him standing by as Jesus died.  At the moment of Jesus’ death: the veil of the temple was torn in half from top to bottom, the earth shook, rocks split, tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had passed away were raised. It’s not hard to believe that some people witnessing these circumstances suddenly believed that Jesus was the Son of God.  The people at the cross believed in Jesus but He had not yet risen from the dead!  


The thing that caught my attention in these happenings, is the veil of the temple torn in two from top to bottom.  It was a removal of the barrier between God and humanity.  The veil separated the main temple area from the  restricted area called the “Holy of Holies” where only the high priest could enter once a year.  So to our knowledge, all the religious leaders who murdered Jesus, did not believe in Him even with these happenings!


We can stubbornly disbelieve - yet Jesus' death can bring us deliverance from our own spiritual deaths.


God also delivers the Israelites in our reading today in Exodus.  God moves the cloud and fire that gives light to Israel between the Egyptian camp and the camp of Israel.  God instructs Moses to stretch his hand over the sea and the waters are divided like a wall on either side.  Through the night the Israelites cross over on dry ground.  The army of Pharaoh tries to give chase through the parted sea.  God causes the army to lose control of their chariots.  Moses stretches out his hand over the sea.  Pharaoh's army is destroyed and drowned.  God brings deliverance!  Exodus 15:2 says “The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; this is my God and I will praise Him;  My father’s God and I will extol Him.” 


God brings deliverance!  He did it for the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, He did it through Jesus and he still brings deliverance today.


Sylvia and I were driving from our home in Nova Scotia to Kingston, Ontario for a wedding in September 2024.  We’d been driving a little over the speed limit in Quebec but just driving with the flow of traffic.  We were travelling in the right driving lane and a grey car just flew past us in the passing lane.  The driver of the car obviously saw the police officer, sped ahead, pulled in front of a pickup truck in the right lane and was out of sight.  The police officer thought it was me and pulled me over.  Our car is grey. He came up to my car window, speaking only in french until it became clear I had no idea what he was saying, and told me he clocked me at a high rate of speed.  I responded that it was not me and that the car he was pursuing had hidden in front of the truck up ahead.  I stayed calm….ish but I knew if he gave me a ticket, I had no proof that it wasn’t me.  The officer believed me.  I had been delivered!


God through Jesus has given me deliverance from spiritual death.  God has brought me deliverance through loss of jobs, through a divorce, and sometimes through everyday issues such as speeding tickets.  Not all deliverance is what we expect.  Sometimes deliverance is through -  not from - a problem.  God brings deliverance in bigger issues than my speeding ticket and I am grateful I had nothing more complex to deal with that day. You, the reader, may be dealing with much greater issues that you need deliverance from today.


If you are, I’d be happy to pray for you.  Just email me at steve.d.pauls@gmail.com and let me know you need prayer for deliverance, or leave an anonymous message on this post.


Have a great day!

Steve

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