We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. [2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NLT)]
600 war chariots and at least 1,200 soldiers were fast approaching and the Israelites were trapped between the mountains and the Red Sea. Panicking, they immediately blamed Moses for their predicament. No longer regarding Moses as the man who freed them from years of suffering slavery, he was now the fool who’d led them to certain death in the wilderness. In despair, the Israelites second-guessed their decision to leave Egypt. Facing such a formidable army and sure they were to die, the miseries of slavery now appealed to them. Ungrateful, unarmed, on foot, and with no place to turn, they lost heart. Failing to recall God’s powerful hand in releasing them from Pharaoh’s tyranny just a few weeks earlier, they immediately conceded defeat.
Have you ever felt like the Israelites: between a rock and a hard place, with no place to turn? When that happens, we usually do what they did: panic, find someone to blame, lose heart and want to quit because the circumstances seem greater than our God. Assuring the people that God would fight for them, Moses said, “Watch the Lord rescue you today.” I’m not sure he had any idea how the Lord planned on doing that but Moses trusted the God he knew for a solution he didn’t know.
Following God’s instructions, Moses raised his hand over the waters, the Red Sea parted as blowing winds turned the sea into dry land, and the Israelites walked across the seabed. Although we know that all the Israelites safely made it across, they didn’t know that’s what would happen! Can you imagine the faith it took when the first of them stepped onto the dry seabed with a wall of water positioned on each side? Were they fearful the waves would come rushing at them without warning? Did they literally run for their lives as they crossed? We know the rest of the story: Pharaoh and his army gave chase, their chariots got stuck, Moses raised his hand once again, the waters surged over the Egyptians and none of them survived.
Seeing God’s tremendous power, the Israelites were filled with awe and again put their faith in Moses and the Lord. What a great ending to their story, but we know it doesn’t end there. That won’t be the last time they complain, the last time they think slavery in Egypt a better option than freedom in the Promised Land, the last time they rebel against Moses’ leadership, or the last time they stop having faith in the Lord. Sadly, it won’t be the last time they forget God’s faithfulness, power and might!
Sometimes God brings us to what seems to be an impossible situation: to that spot between a rock and a hard place or an army and the deep blue sea. Those barriers are put before us so that we have nowhere to turn but to God. While He may not have parted the Red Sea for us, there have been many times that He’s led us safely through a whole sea of troubles. Unlike the Israelites, may we never forget His power and faithfulness in those trying times. Let us always be willing to trust our unknown future to our known God.
The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend between 727.9 and 730.7 billion dollars on Christmas gifts and merchandise between November 1 and the end of the year. If they’re correct, we’ll have spent nearly $95 for every one of the 7.7 billion people on earth (most of whom won’t get any of those purchases). It’s ironic that a day set aside to honor the birth of Jesus, the Savior who sacrificed His life for us, has become a frenzied season of obtaining and consuming.
God makes Himself known through His creation, His word, and in the still small voice of His Spirit and the things He has revealed to us are what make our faith possible. Nevertheless, there is much that He has not made known to us, which is why faith is necessary. A day will come when our questions will be answered; when that time comes, our hope will turn into reality and what we believe will be seen. But, until then, there will be occasions of doubt. Doubt, however, doesn’t mean we’ve lost our faith; we can’t doubt what we don’t believe!
Tears fell on my newspaper as I read the account of a toddler so violently raped that multiple surgeries will be required to repair the damage done to her little body. Nothing, however, will erase the abuse and my heart bled for the girl. From reading the book of Job, I knew not to ask God, “Why?” Nevertheless, I cried out to him, “How could you allow such evil to touch this child?”
Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese? is an uncomplicated parable about two mice and two “little people” (Hem and Haw) who are looking for the “cheese” that will bring them happiness. When the cheese disappears, the mice quickly scurry off in search of more. Hem and Haw, however, have built their life around that cheese. Arrogantly thinking their brains are superior to those of their four-legged friends, they are unwilling to change and search for different cheese. Eventually, hunger drives Haw to leave his comfort zone and go in search of new cheese. When he finds it, he also finds those simple creatures, the mice, who’d been there for quite a while and enjoying the delicious new cheese.
Yesterday, I wrote of those times when we’re blind-sided by challenges and difficulty. When that happens, it truly is difficult to accept and trust God’s love and wisdom. Unfortunately, while Jesus made many promises, an easy life was not one of them. In fact, we’re told that troubles are pretty much guaranteed.
Devotions of the Heart 