Exodus chapter 14.
God purposely led the Israelites around about so they ended up trapped, in a sense, by the Red Sea. They were in what seem to be a very difficult or impossible situation. Their response was complaining a lot. I feel like I complain to God when I am in difficult situations. I want to have a better response in these situations. What is God wanting to accomplish? What is my response? What am I trying to accomplish by complaining? Am I wanting to see God's relief? Of course I am! I feel I need to be proactive with my faith. I need to believe God wants to be glorified and that God will deliver me. I need to believe it. To say I believe means I have to be proactive and not sit around and sulk and cry and complain but act in faith. I need to always be moving forward because to do so shows I'm acting in faith and that I believe what God will do. To sit and do nothing while complaining is to demonstrate a lack of faith. It is to allow oneself to get trapped in a state of hopelessness or depression. I need to take a stand and boldly move forward and believe God is in control and that he will make a way. I need to speak words of Hope. Speak words of faith. I need to thank God in advance for what is to come.
I wonder how many times I’m like the Israelites and just need to listen to Exodus 14:14.
“The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Whatever Red Sea we might be up against, God can make a way for us to cross it on dry ground!
I was also reflecting today on how there are so many great miracles that God performs for His people, but often it involves the loss of life. We read today about how the Israelites were rescued from Pharaoh and his forces by being able to cross the Red Sea on dry ground, but then we also see the entire Egyptian army wiped out. We recently read about the Passover and how all those firstborn were killed if they didn’t have the blood of the lamb. I think back to Noah and how he and his family were saved from the flood while everyone else in the entire world died except for only those 8 people on the ark. We could look at Abraham with Isaac and how God provided the sacrifice and spared Isaac’s life. These are just a few examples of what we have already read and I’m sure there are many other instances where we see some people being rescued while another person, people, or animals have their lives taken somehow in the process.
Hebrews 9:22 tells us, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
It doesn’t seem fair at times and sacrifice certainly isn’t a pretty thing, but yet I think it all points to Jesus. He experienced the most unfair death of all time because the wages of sin is death, but He was without sin and yet He took our punishment for sin! Jesus hung on a cross to give His life for us as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! There is no greater rescue than that!
It would be easy to read the accounts of the Israelites and judge them for their fear, their lack of faith after witnessing God’s great miracles in Egypt. But how often have I been there … complaining, whining about something that has no relevance in my eternal life. God didn’t give us these examples in the Bible to develop our skills as a judge but rather as lessons on faith. As you said, PB, there is a time for prayer and a time to get moving.
Today i looked at two verses, both the voice of the Israelites , one voice of not trusting , the other voice of trust.
12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
(When things were not going as planned the Israelites blamed mosses and God, they would rather be slaves then trust the Lord and be free. even after they witnessed Gods mighty hand)
31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
they were saved, now they praise the Lord, but for how long? seems like they have the attitude, “what have you done for me lately”?
I know not everything I ask for, I receive, I understand I have to face adversity, I know God will protect me.
Exodus 14:14 stuck out to me as well today. “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” There has been a song playing on the radio lately about God going before us to fight our battles and how we just need to praise Him and worship Him and be still. God led them through the pillar of cloud and fire and is there leading us also. It amazes me that the Israelites could see all the plagues done in Egypt and walk through the red sea and see all these miracles, and then later on still complain and lack trust. But I wonder how many times I’ve seen God work in my life and then later complain and wonder why situations are the way they are.
Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.
One theme I have noticed throughout the chapters we have read is that fear insights a lack of trust. It usually leads to sins like lying (she’s my sister not my wife) or complaining like the Israelites in chapter 14. How many times have I allowed my fear to overcome my faith? Moses said we need only be still. Had the Israelites turned back then they would be slaves to the Egyptians. But staying they were able to see God’s mighty hand. Sometimes it is easier to stay stagnant in our lives even when we know we aren’t reaching our fullest potential. Little did we know if we just had a little faith, God would part any Red Sea that we face, walking through it with us, no matter what it is.