The Beautiful Flight

The Beautiful Flight
By George Hitchcock

“Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15
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After Jesus’s miraculous birth, we might expect His early life to be filled with peace and promise. Instead, shortly after the visit of the wise men, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, warning him: “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt... for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” The Holy Family almost immediately became refugees—their journey to Egypt a divine detour.

It’s natural to feel disappointed by the detours of life. We may have plans—good and godly plans—which get delayed or upended as life changes course. But Jesus’s flight to Egypt reminds us that God’s purposes often unfold in unexpected ways, and in unforeseen places. Egypt, a land once symbolic of Israel’s bondage, became a place of refuge and protection for the future Savior of the world. It’s a reminder that God’s infinite vision reaches beyond our immediate understanding, and that our story is in His hands.

As Jeffrey R. Holland has said, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.” Sometimes, the path to those blessings runs through unfamiliar territory. The detour to Egypt both fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and preserved the Savior’s life, preparing the way for His ministry years later. God was not absent in the disruption—He was working through it. The same can be true in our lives. What feels like a setback may be the setting up of a greater story, one we can’t yet fully see.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” Trusting God doesn’t mean life will be easy—it means believing He is present, even as we find ourselves seemingly off-track or on hold. When we face delays, disruptions, or detours, we can remember that our Savior, too, took an unexpected path to His divine mission. And in doing so, He sanctified all our journeys and our detours. He goes with us into every wilderness, guiding us toward God’s better plan. Let us have faith in those detours—for sometimes Egypt is exactly where we need to be.

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