Worst Road Trip Ever – August 24, 2026
Read: Exodus 34:5-9
Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” Exodus 34:8-9
Worst Road Trip Ever
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There’s a whole web page devoted to the worst road trips ever. One person talks about their family vehicle getting stuck in a foot and a half of mud on a dirt road in the desert in New Mexico. They camped out in the desert, waiting for two days for someone to help. While they waited, one of the family members got a fever and started throwing up. When someone finally helped them pull the vehicle out of the mud, they found out their vehicle could only drive 45 mph all the way home.
What do you think—if they had invited you to join them on that road trip, would you have said, “Yes! I’d love to go with you!” I don’t think so!
Traveling with the Israelites in the wilderness after Moses brought them out of Egypt was like going on the worst road trip ever. It wasn’t really the lack of food and water and the poisonous snakes that were the problem; it was the people! They whined and complained the whole trip! They even stopped trusting the Lord who had rescued them from slavery. Because of their stubborn sin, the Lord warned them, “I won’t take this. I’m not going with you.”
Traveling through life hasn’t gotten any easier since the days of the Israelites. Our biggest problem isn’t what happens along the way. Often, the biggest problem is inside us. We are naturally whiners and complainers like the Israelites. We don’t trust God as much as we should and we don’t thank him as much as we could. We can be “stiff-necked”—too stubborn to bow our heads, listen to God, and follow where he leads. Why would the Lord travel through life with people like us?
But he does! Not because of what we’re like, but because of what he’s like. That’s why Moses, and we, can pray, “Lord, please come with us!” If one of our notable features is that we’re stiff-necked, then the most notable feature about the Lord is that he is gracious and compassionate to people like us. He is slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness. He’s exactly the kind of person who would agree to come on a road trip with people like us. And the best news is that Jesus promises to be with you always. He travels every mile with you—loving you, forgiving you, guiding you, and bringing you safely home to heaven.
With Jesus beside you, even if on a difficult road, he always leads to the best destination ever.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you promise to be with us always. Forgive us for our stubborn hearts and lead us through life to our heavenly home. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- What is the name of the leader God used to bring the Israelites out of Egypt?
- What are some things you complain about?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- “Stiff-necked” means stubbornly refusing to listen or follow. How did the Israelites act stiff-necked?
- Why does Jesus stay with us even though we are sinful and stubborn?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- How is your life of faith similar to a long, difficult road trip?
- Think of your life as a road map. What have been two or three important stops so far? How was Jesus caring for you at each one?
