Having been chased to the edge of a sea by hundreds of armed men that wanted to see them captured, the Israelites of Exodus find themselves in a quandary.  Trust God and what He promised to do or fuss, complain, and panic?

I’d love to say they trusted God, the Red Sea parted, and on their merry way they went.  The end.  But, we all know, that’s not what happened.

The Jews, who had been miraculously delivered from their slave captivity after years of being oppressed through forced manual labor, began their exodus out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses.  By the time we catch up to them in Exodus, chapter 14, Pharaoh has “changed his mind” about letting the Israelites go and jumps in his chariot, dispatches his troops, and sets off in a hasty pursuit to stop them.

The Israelites looked back and saw the Egyptians coming and “were terrified” (vs. 10)  After verbally assaulting Moses with a variety of fear-charged questions, Moses replied, Don’t be afraid.  Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, you must only be quiet. (vs. 13-14)

The rest of the story is nothing short of mind-blowing as God keeps His word and brings deliverance for His people.  It’s definitely worth the read, but for brevity’s sake, I’ll fast-forward to the application…

How often do we find ourselves in this narrative cowering in fear like those Israelites – with no way to move forward and an enemy breathing down our neck?  Out of our mouths spill “what if” and “why have You let this happen” questions as our internal anxieties mount.  Despair feels real.  Hopelessness looms large.

Yet, God’s Word remains unchanged – the promises beckoning us to believe them.

Be still, and KNOW that I am God” (Ps. 46:10) is a profound promise that we love to put on coffee mugs and wall hangings, but how often do we reach for it, believe it, and say it when darkness is threatening to smother us?

God promises to “be with you when you walk through the waters…they will not overwhelm you…when you walk through the fire…the flame will not burn you. (Isaiah 43:2)  He knows more intimately than anyone else when you feel like you’re drowning.

And, like the Israelites so long ago, He calls us to trust Him; take Him at His Word; believe what He says – He promises to fight FOR you, deliver you, rescue you…only be quiet.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!

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