61_My refuge and my fortress Ps 78:4-8 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; 8 and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. Ps 78:72 With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand. In the desert, shade is life. A traveler caught in the scorching sun finds relief under the wide branches of a tree. The tree doesn’t move the sun away, but it provides a refuge from its burning rays. When God took the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness of Sinai, he didn’t take away the harsh realities. But he was their shelter and protection. When the children of Israel came to Egypt, their men were only 72 in number. At the time of their departure, their number had risen to 600,000. This was also the fulfillment of God’s promises to their fathers. Gen 17:2 God told Abraham, "I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." To Isaac he said, Gen 26:4, "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” To Jacob Gen 35:11, the promise came: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.” Pharaoh did everything in his power to keep the Israelites down, but to no avail. Hostility and opposition and downright persecution all failed to thwart God’s plan or prevent the power of his blessing. Balaam realized that too late. Numbers 23:8 “But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the LORD has not condemned?” Knowing the power of God, and our calling to his blessing, we should live without fear. We have been given the spirit of love, power and a sound mind by the living God who does whatever is pleasing to him, in heaven and on earth. We need only to serve him faithfully in love, growing in our knowledge of him through obedience, without being dismayed by our outward circumstances. Joseph sent wagons to carry his father Jacob and his family into Egypt. But at their departure, the great multitude went out on foot. Ex 12:37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and