“Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that the Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” – Jude 5: 

Scripture reading: Psalm 95; Jude 3-7

The people of Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry ground. They saw the glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai. They fought against their enemies and won by the strength of the Lord. For six days of the week, they woke up to find all the food they needed on the ground outside their tents. They had seen so many of God’s works, but they complained that it still wasn’t enough. They wanted to return to Egypt to enjoy the “cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic” (Numbers 11:5).

It wasn’t just the menu that turned their hearts back to Egypt. They believed that following God should give them more earthly pleasures than they had found in the wilderness. Even the Promised Land wasn’t enough for them, so they rejected the Lord. They would rather return to the slavery of Pharaoh than continue trusting God.

Jude is warning the church that salvation is not found in the momentary gratification of this life’s pleasures. That’s why we have to guard ourselves against the temptation to seek our ultimate comfort in the experiences of this life. Expecting God to provide those experiences is asking Him to return us to the slavery of sin when we should be seeking our life in Christ.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray for members of your church who are being drawn to the slavery of sin’s pleasures. Ask the Lord to bless your church with wise men and women who will remind you of the stories of God’s faithfulness and help to steer you to live for the Lord.

Pastor James Sinke has been the pastor of Bethel URC of Woodstock for ten years, having previously served the Rock Valley URC. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.