You Belong to God | Pastor Ben Gietzen

Devotional

Day 1: Carried on Eagles’ Wings Through Wilderness Storms

When life feels like a freefall, God’s grip remains sure. The image of eagles’ wings isn’t about effortless soaring but rescue in moments of helplessness. Just as eaglets learn to fly through risky leaps, our wilderness seasons often feel like falling without control. Yet God’s faithfulness isn’t measured by the absence of danger but by His presence in it. He carries us not to avoid storms but to teach us dependence on His strength. Trust grows when we recognize His unseen hands steadying us mid-plummet. [12:37]

“He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. The Lord alone led him.”
(Deuteronomy 32:10–12, NIV)

Reflection: What current struggle feels like a freefall? How might God be using this moment to deepen your trust in His unseen grip?

Day 2: From Rescued Slaves to God’s Treasured Possession

Identity shifts when we trade Pharaoh’s labels for God’s declarations. The Israelites moved from “oppressed laborers” to “treasured possession” not by merit but by divine choice. Our worth isn’t earned through productivity or others’ opinions but received as a gift. Like ancient Israel, we’re called to replace the lies of our Egypt—shame, inadequacy, striving—with the liberating truth of being God’s chosen delight. [20:34]

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
(Exodus 19:5–6, NIV)

Reflection: What “Egyptian label” (failure, imposter, unworthy) have you carried into your wilderness? How might acting as God’s treasure today change your choices?

Day 3: Holy Nation: Set Apart by Belonging, Not Behavior

Holiness begins with belonging, not behavior. God called Israel “holy” before giving the Law because their identity flowed from being His, not their perfection. Like a wedding ring marks belonging before any vows are kept, our sacred status comes from Christ’s claim on us. Right living follows being made right, not the reverse. [22:52]

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
(1 Peter 2:9, NIV)

Reflection: Where do you equate “being good enough” with “being God’s”? How might resting in His claim on you free you from performance?

Day 4: Consecration: Washing Clothes for Divine Encounter

Preparing to meet God required practical action—washing clothes, setting boundaries. For us, consecration isn’t earning access but honoring the sacredness of relationship. Just as the Israelites cleaned garments, we “wash” our hearts through confession and focus. It’s not about perfection but posture—creating space to receive the One who already drew near. [29:52]

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’”
(Exodus 19:10–11, NIV)

Reflection: What daily “clothes washing” (habits, rhythms, or confessions) could better prepare you to recognize God’s presence?

Day 5: Living the ‘Already’ in the ‘Not Yet’ Wilderness

The desert didn’t negate Israel’s identity—it refined it. Our wilderness seasons aren’t detours from calling but training grounds to live as kingdom priests. While still journeying, we declare God’s faithfulness through both our trust and our lament. The tension of “already holy” and “not yet home” becomes our testimony. [35:47]

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.”
(Hebrews 10:19–22, NIV)

Reflection: How can your current challenges become opportunities to represent God’s character to those watching your wilderness walk?

Sermon Summary

Exodus 19 stands at the turn where God moves Israel from being rescued from something to being rescued for something. God meets Moses on Sinai and first calls the people to remember. The text says, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” God knows the last ninety days have been loud with thirst, hunger, attack, and fear, so God slows the story down to say, remember. The image of eagle’s wings lands like this: the eaglets stumble, jump too soon, or freeze at the edge, and the eagle hovers and swoops. God does not remove every obstacle, but God carries, protects, and stays near so trust can grow for what is next.

God then names who Israel is before handing them any commands. God calls them “my treasured possession” like a king’s personal treasure, wholly prized. God calls them “a kingdom of priests,” a people who represent God to neighbors and bring neighbors before God. God calls them “a holy nation,” different and set apart because they belong. Identity is not something achieved. Identity is something received. Belonging comes first, then behavior flows from belonging. The deepest truth about Israel is not slavery or wandering, but that they are God’s.

The text ties forward through 1 Peter where the Exodus language is handed to followers of Jesus. At Sinai the grammar reads, “If you obey... then you will be,” because sin still stood in the way and the sacrificial system had not been fulfilled. In Christ the grammar shifts to, “You are.” Jesus keeps the covenant, fulfills the sacrificial system, and brings people near, so treasured possession, royal priesthood, and holy nation are now received identities in him.

Finally, God calls for consecration. Israel washes and waits for the third day because God will come down on the mountain. Not to become God’s people, but to sense the weight of being God’s people. In Jesus, consecration is not ritual washing. Hebrews says there is confidence to enter because of his blood. Consecration now looks like a sincere heart and whole-life surrender under the kingship of Jesus. God uses the wilderness to expose false trusts and to prepare sons and daughters to live as who God already says they are, representing Jesus in home, work, and neighborhood, not to earn favor but because they belong.

Key Takeaways

1. Remember past deliverance to trust now Hard seasons get loud and make yesterday’s faithfulness feel far away. God commands remembrance so trust has a place to stand in the present. Memory is not nostalgia, it is training the heart to see God’s hand again. Remembering fuels courage for the next step. [09:07]
2. Identity is received, not achieved Performance, labels, and success make for shaky ground when they define a person. God names his people treasured, priestly, and holy so belonging can anchor behavior. Grace gives the noun before life adds the verbs. Let God’s word about identity be the first word. [19:25]
3. Called a kingdom of priests today Priests represent God to people and people to God, which means ordinary spaces become sacred assignments. Parenting, marriage, work, and neighboring turn into places to make Jesus visible. The Spirit empowers imperfect witnesses to live this out with sincerity and courage. [26:03]
4. From you will be to you are in Christ Sin once stood in the way, so Sinai spoke in conditions and sacrifices. Jesus fulfills the covenant and opens the way, so 1 Peter can say “you are” right now. Believers live from acceptance, not toward it, because the cross settled belonging. Access reshapes identity and practice. [23:41]
5. Consecration means surrendered, sincere nearness Israel washed and waited because God was coming close. In Christ, confidence to draw near comes by his blood, yet the posture still matters. Consecration now looks like submitting every arena of life under Jesus’ good rule with a true heart. Surrender is how belonging becomes a way of life. [32:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:39] - Wilderness seasons reshape beliefs
[03:20] - Trusts revealed after Egypt
[04:52] - God calls Moses at Sinai
[06:24] - From rescue from to rescue for
[07:58] - Identity in the wilderness - big idea
[09:07] - Remember what God has done
[10:57] - Carried on eagles’ wings
[16:50] - Why God doesn’t remove obstacles
[18:26] - God names their identity
[23:41] - From if-you-obey to you-are
[29:15] - Consecrate and get ready
[31:22] - Confidence to draw near
[32:47] - Whole-life surrender to Jesus
[35:47] - Invitation to receive Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Exodus 19:1-8 (ESV)
On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Observation Questions

In Exodus 19:4, God says He carried Israel “on eagles’ wings.” What specific imagery or actions does this metaphor suggest about how God relates to His people during challenges?
How does the language in Exodus 19:5-6 (“you will be my treasured possession…”) differ from the language in 1 Peter 2:9 (“you are a chosen race…”)?
What practical steps did Israel take to prepare for God’s presence in Exodus 19:10-11, and why might these actions matter?
According to the sermon, what three identities does God declare over Israel in Exodus 19:5-6, and how are these mirrored in 1 Peter 2:9? [20:07]

Interpretation Questions

Why might God use the metaphor of “eagles’ wings” (Exodus 19:4) instead of simply saying He protected Israel? What does this reveal about His character and methods in difficult seasons? [16:50]
The sermon emphasizes that God declares Israel’s identity before giving them commands. Why is this order (belonging before behavior) critical for understanding our relationship with God today? [19:25]
How does the shift from “if you obey… you will be” (Exodus 19:5) to “you are” (1 Peter 2:9) reflect the work of Jesus? What barriers did His sacrifice remove? [23:41]
The sermon contrasts Old Testament consecration (ritual washing) with New Testament consecration (“sincere heart”). How does Hebrews 10:19-22 redefine what it means to draw near to God? [31:22]

Application Questions

The sermon says, “Hard seasons get loud and make yesterday’s faithfulness feel far away.” What specific practice could you start (e.g., journaling, sharing stories) to actively remember God’s past faithfulness in your life? [09:07]
If your identity is “received, not achieved,” how might you combat the urge to define yourself by productivity, others’ opinions, or past mistakes this week? What truth from Exodus 19:5-6 or 1 Peter 2:9 could you rehearse daily?
As a “kingdom of priests,” where is one ordinary space (e.g., work, family, neighborhood) you could intentionally represent God’s character this week? What would it look like to “make Jesus visible” there? [26:03]
The sermon says consecration now means “submitting every arena of life under Jesus’ good rule.” What area (finances, relationships, habits) feels hardest to surrender? What step could you take to invite Him into that space? [32:47]
How might living as God’s “treasured possession” change the way you respond to failure or criticism? What would it look like to anchor your worth in His declaration over you today?

Sermon Clips

``And so this language of you will be in Exodus 19 can turn in first Peter to you are because of what Jesus has done for us, That the sacrificial system has been been completely fulfilled. That sin has been completely paid for. That we can enter into the presence of God boldly and step into these identities and receive these identities not because we follow the covenant perfectly or followed all the commands, but because of what Jesus has done for us. [00:25:15] (26 seconds)

And we consecrate ourselves by recognizing that the king of kings and lord of lords, the creator of the universe wants relationship with us and wants us to know him. And once you understand that invitation, life begins to look different, that God calls you by name, knows you, loves you, is for you, and so therefore, our response is a humbled, consecrated heart to him that surrenders every relationship, that surrenders every thought captive, that surrenders every action, that says I want every part of my life to be submitted to the kingship of Jesus. [00:33:02] (43 seconds)

And God knows this, and here's the reality is that we couldn't actually follow all of the things and commands that God has given. Because a part of giving the law and a part of giving the commands is to help us recognize, oh, we live so apart from the words, ways, and wisdom of Jesus that we need help to even do the things he's asked us. We need help to keep the commands. We need help to keep the covenant. And so because God knew that, he had a plan, and that plan was Jesus. [00:24:51] (24 seconds)

And this is the big idea for this morning, but what God does in these wilderness moments is he uses it to remind us who we are and then to help us live into that identity, to live into who he says we are. And a part of the who he says we are and living into it is aspects of the commandments and the things he gives us and the sacrificial system for the Israelites so that they can be in a right right relationship with God. Before he gets there, he's reminding them of a few different things before he then lays out, here's how I want you to live. [00:07:58] (34 seconds)

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You Belong to God | Pastor Ben Gietzen

Devotional

Day 1: Carried on Eagles’ Wings Through Wilderness Storms

Day 2: From Rescued Slaves to God’s Treasured Possession

Day 3: Holy Nation: Set Apart by Belonging, Not Behavior

Day 4: Consecration: Washing Clothes for Divine Encounter

Day 5: Living the ‘Already’ in the ‘Not Yet’ Wilderness

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

You Belong to God | Pastor Ben Gietzen

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