But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation that he will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you must be quiet.” Exodus 14:13-14 CSB
I've been reading the Reading God's Story: One-Year Chronological Plan this year and I'm in the book of Exodus. Moses and the Israelites have fled Egypt. They went south and now the Egyptian Army has closed in on them and the Red Sea. The people have complained to Moses, fearing they will be killed by Pharaoh's army. Moses assures the people that God is with them and they will see the Lord deliver them. Three things he tells them to do: don't be afraid, stand firm, and be quiet. He promises the Lord will fight for them.
The people have done what Moses told and led them to do, but now they are caught between a rock and a hard place. Being obedient to the Lord and following Him often leads to difficult places. And often, as we grumble and complain, we also try to figure out how to get out of the mess (let's go back to Egypt where we came from). Our scripture provides a great prescription for what to do when we find ourselves trapped between the Egyptians and the Red Sea.
1. Don't be afraid - This is less about controlling your emotions and more about trusting God. Fear and faith do not fit well together. To not be afraid is to completely trust the Lord in whatever situation you are in. In Mark 5 the daughter of a synagogue ruler (Jairus) had died before Jesus could get to her. When Jesus overhead the men telling Jairus that it was too late Jesus said: When Jesus overheard what was said, he told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe.” (Mark 5:36 CSB) Don't be afraid means "only believe." Have faith, not fear.
2. Stand firm - This is about not only controlling your emotions but controlling your actions. Don't try to get yourself out of the mess, stand firm until the Lord tells you what to do. Eventually the people would have to act; they would have to cross the sea between walls of water, but the water hadn't parted yet. Often we have to wait for God to move before we move.
3. Be quiet - Stop complaining and don't try to tell God what to do. It's ok to pray and seek the Lord, He wants us to do that. A big part of the reason He leads us to these situations is so that we will run to Him. But complaining and praying aren't the same thing. Plus, when we are complaining, we aren't listening. We have to "be quiet" and watch to see what the Lord will do.
What happened next is considered one of the greatest miracles in the Bible. God didn't remove the Red Sea, but He made a way through it. That's how God works - He brings us to seemingly impossible situations and tells us, don't fear, just believe; stand firm in your faith, be quiet and watch Him work what only He can do. What is your rock and Red Sea place? God will see you through!
