Greetings in Christ,
Many of us know the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. They have left Egypt and they have crossed the desert and reached the Red Sea where they have set up camp. The level of the water is high and it is impossible to cross at this time, but they are tired and need to rest. They have just settled getting the camp fires going and the next thing they know they see a cloud of dust in the distance moving closer and closer to them. It is not long they begin to hear the noise of the horses and chariot wheels as they pound the earth moving at a fast pace. They instinctively know it is Pharaoh’s army coming to bring them back to Egypt or even worse slaughter them in the barren desert with no one to bury them. They begin to panic and cry out to Moses asking why he has brought them here with no place to go. They feel trapped.
They are tired and weary. They begin to think they have made the wrong decision listening to Moses and his grand ideas of a promise land. All they see is an impassible body of water and no retreating place for safety. They have no weapons, and the men who could use them are tired and hungry. Many of them are undernourished and could not fight for long even if they had weapons. They feel like they have no recourse but to beg for mercy from the Pharaoh if he will listen. They want instant answers from Moses to solve their dilemma backing him into the corner. Now Moses is feeling the pressure of the situation, but he answers positively with this, “watch and see the salvation of the Lord.”
Moses of course did not have any idea they were going to cross the Red Sea, but this is what God had in mind. God asked Moses why are you just standing there tell the people to move forward. Take your staff and part the Red Sea you are holding up progress. Now remember they had set up camp and it all had to be torn down and packed away. There was going to be some time before they could even go forward, but this is where God steps in and does His great work.
The angel which went before them to guide them moved to the rear of the camp creating a barrier between the Israelites and the Egyptian army. God was buying them time to pack up and move forward. In the time it took for them to pack, God had a mighty wind part the Red Sea drying up the land so they could cross over with no difficulties and in the process of the sea being parted, the water created a wall barrier on both sides. All the Israelites had to do was to believe and move forward.
As I read this story I began to put myself in the sandals of the Israelites. I wondered why they thought God would bring them out to a place where they felt they were going to be abandoned leaving them with no options and more hardship and even possibly death. Had they not witnessed the hand of God in their lives as they lived in Egypt? Had they not witnessed the Egyptians fear them as they plundered them before they left Egypt? Had the not walked out of Egypt with more than they had before? Why they were forgetting all God had done for them? Then it hit me. They had not developed a real relationship with God.
They had seen the razzle and dazzle of God, but they did not believe. The fear of death had them so scared they could not see anything possible for an alternative for their lives. The only one who had any hope was Moses, and He was having some doubt. They were focusing on their own ideas of what the solutions were going to be for their lives instead of believing and moving forward.
Jesus said it best, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
Most of the battles we have in this world are made worse by our own interpretation of what we think the answer will be. We want to apply our thoughts to the problems and then apply our answers to them creating limited solutions. We forget we serve a God Who is limitless and knows no boundaries. All we have to do is believe and move forward.
John later writes these words, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” 1 John 1:1-4
We want the instant answers to all of our problems, but we miss out on the joy of the journey with God in the meantime. We have read the end of the Bible and know God wins in the end, but we miss out on the joy which is to be with the journey to the end. It is nice to arrive to the end of our journey, but if we do not enjoy the journey we miss out on the relationship with God. The joy God wants us to have is to believe and move forward. If we let Him part the Red Sea for us, we will cross over on dry land. We then have the joy of watching God work in our lives solving those dilemmas. We have to set aside those tendencies to figure it all out and just let God do His thing. Believe and move forward.
“Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will remember His covenant forever. He has made; known to His people the power of His works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever; they are performed in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.” Psalm 111
Lord may we believe and move forward with joy in our hearts as we watch You work in our lives. Amen
Blessings,