repeat after Him.

I’ve been reading through the story of Moses recently. Honestly, it’s because I watched the Moses documentary on Netflix that made me want to take another look at how the Bible tells the story.

The other day, I was in Exodus 13. It’s the part after the Ten Plagues, where Pharaoh has finally let Moses and the Israelites go, but before God split the Red Sea. It’s a pivotal moment where they’re out of Egypt, but they haven’t really gone anywhere yet.

Here, God mentions Egypt twice. But it’s not just Egypt, He calls it the place of slavery.

“Remember this day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery…” (v. 3)

It caught my attention because it’s repeated again later: “In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does [Passover] mean?’ say to him, ‘By the strength of His hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.’” (v. 14)

In contrast, God references the land He promised to give them — a land flowing with milk and honey. (v. 5) That descriptor is only mentioned once in chapter 13, but it’s not the first (or last) time it’s used.

It got me thinking. As a marketer, I know repeating a message not only highlights what an audience should know but helps them remember it — and repeat it to others.

Clearly, God wants the Israelites to associate Egypt with slavery and His Promised Land with an abundance of milk and honey. He wants them to know it, remember it, and be able to repeat it.

It made me wonder about the associations I have with different places, and what I’m repeating about them. The examples in Exodus 13 are literal geographical locations, but I think it applies metaphorically too. This place. This season. This state of being.

I’ve been thinking a lot about these Thursday emails. About what faith on a Thursday looks like. About this whole season of my life. About how to talk about it. Honestly, I don’t know what to associate it with. I don’t know what to call it. I’m figuring it out as I go, I guess. I’m doing the everyday, mundane things and trusting that God is weaving together the details.

At this point in my line of thought, I felt like God chimed in to correct me: “These days are not mundane.”

This season, this place, is where I keep my head up, my eyes open, and pay attention. It’s a place of movement. I may be doing the everyday things I know to do, but it’s only “mundane” if I focus on my part.

I noticed the Israelites do this too — they focus on the wrong things.

Later in the story (like, as soon as the next chapter), they start complaining about where they are and they long for Egypt. Yes, they were servants there. But also, they didn’t die there. They had water, meat, and good food there.

Then, after the Israelites sent spies to peek into the Promised Land, they confirm that the land does flow with milk and honey. But also, it’s a place with powerful people, large and defensive towns, and giants who view the Israelites as grasshoppers (or so they claim).

It’s not that the Israelites don’t see what God said, it’s that there are also other things they get distracted by. They focus on those things rather than holding fast to what God said. They miss the point — and they ended up wandering around it for 40 years.

Honestly, I can relate. I know God is moving in this season. But also — I can list a bunch of other things I see as well. It’s up to me to decide what I focus on and what I decide to call it.

This place might look weird or confusing or scary. It might feel like you were better off before you took a step of faith. It might seem like you’ll never conquer what’s ahead. But remember what God calls those places. Hold fast to His words. In spite of what else you see, repeat after Him.

The power of God is in you, even on a Thursday.