“I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land”.

Exodus is a recurring theme in Bible. God reminds Israel over and over again, though many prophets, how the nation was saved from slavery, through the journey they willingly undertook, though unwillingly completed. While the Exodus was filled with hardships, we do not see much hardships mentioned when Jacob’s brothers moved to Egypt. Of course, the Exodus had a long-winding route, making it difficult to return, compared to the move.

It seems like one of the expectations from God to Israel was that they should continue to remember their history, of Exodus. The first generation after Exodus was zealous, and as we move down the history the prophecies become stronger and stronger against Israel - as the generations become farther and farther from Exodus. It is difficult to pass on the experiences. The stories of hardships and blessings become stories of amusement and bravery, and of course movies too.

When I meditated on God’s word, trying to relate with how he took care of Israel in the wilderness, I too found myself distanced. Until I took the personal exodus. In my life, I too move away from God’s promises, sometimes even justified by the situations, like the drought faced by Joseph and sons. And as I get comfortable being away, and feel the yoke of sin and slavery on our shoulders, like a prodigal son, I too take the Exodus, a personal one.

Through the wilderness, thirsty and dry.

And then the prophecies resonate, “I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me”. Did I? Do we?