Further, he shall not acquire many [war] horses for himself, nor make the people return to Egypt in order to acquire horses [to expand his military power], since the Lord said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’”
(Deuteronomy 17:16 AMP)
The Israelites really had it tough in Egypt. They were enslaved and oppressed by their Egyptian slave masters for a very, very long time. One would think that after the exodus, they would have no intention of going back there. But throughout the Old Testament, I find it strange that they expressed a longing to go back whenever things got rough. When they were hungry in the desert, they complained to their leaders, Moses and Aaron, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate bread until we were full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this entire assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:3). They sure knew how to sugarcoat their tragic circumstances!
My colleague suffered an attack by her very own dog. And although he was taken away from her and put down, she was very upset to lose him. There she was, alive and well after a vicious attack, but all she could think about was losing him forever. I’m sure pet lovers sympathize with her story, but it baffles me how we can be so attached to things that could potentially hurt us, whether it’s a fierce pet, a toxic relationship, or anything else that God has said no to. As a result, we bring upon ourselves (and at times, others), the unnecessary pain that God never intended for us to live with. Today, be determined to let go of what hurts you in order to experience His freedom.
“So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.” -Jesus (John 8:36)
Rising with the Son 