Goshen

“And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land.”….”Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.”Exodus 8:22; 9:26

It always fascinates me to read God’s grace and favour towards His people Israel extended even to the territory where they occupied in Egypt. In a land so defiled as Egypt, Goshen was spared from the plagues that were clearly associated with the sins of the Egyptians.

I often wonder, in certain part of the world, which is increasing anti-Christian and defiled by various sins and abominations, how can Christians continue to walk under the blessings of God. In lands that are defiled, either by the sinful acts of the present occupants or their ancestors, they often attract curses and oppression. From the experience of Israel in Goshen in Egypt, we see that even living in defiled lands, God’s people can still be blessed by God.

The reasons I believe are twofold: firstly, it is God’s faithfulness to His covenant with His people. Secondly, where God’s people dwells, worship and sacrifice are lifted up to God regularly and consistently. Today, if we want to see breakthrough in a land so defiled by sins and false worships, we need to erect altars of worship and sacrifice to the Lord. Jesus has become the perfect sacrifice for our sins that we might enter into the presence of the Father freely. The sacrifice we bring to this altar is no longer animal sacrifice but prayers. Prayer as sacrifice means that in our commitment to praying, we would do so often at our inconvenience. Sacrificial prayers also show that we are totally dependent on God.

This altar of prayer and worship needs to have repentance as foundation. When altars such as this are erected in our lives, our families, our Church and our nation, I believe then we will see the unleashing of God’s supernatural power and favour as in the days of Goshen! Let us be determined to build up spiritual altars to bring forth our spiritual Goshen.