Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again.
God will fight the battle for you.
And you? You keep your mouths shut!”
God said to Moses: “Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground.”
Exodus 14: 13-16. The Message
Fear is something with which we all deal with from time to time. Fear can grip our lives at unexpected times. Lately, it seems that fear is almost a daily part of life. Fear of the coronavirus, a downturn in the economy, unemployment, the welfare of our children who are our future generation, riots, protests, and stress over physical and mental and emotional issues. Yet we are not the first nation to experience fear as a whole.
In the face of great fear from the Israelite people he was leading, Moses was an example of faith and courage. His people were so fearful of the Egyptians that they were convinced they were going to die. In fact, they even said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die? You could have at least let us die in Egypt! Were there not enough cemeteries in Egypt?”
The Egyptian army was fearsome, but Moses knew that he was not fighting the Egyptian army by himself. No! He was second in command to the most powerful and faithful leader. It was God Himself who was fighting for the freedom of Moses and the Israelites. Consequently, even when things looked hopeless and bleak from a human point of view, God still had the battle well in hand.
While the whole Egyptian army was pursuing the Israelites, God promised to deliver them. How did He do this? First, He parted the dead sea so the Israelites could walk right through it, continuing their trip to the promised land. If that didn’t take trust and faith by the Israel people, I’m not sure what else could! Almost certainly, they were afraid as they walked through that wall of water. At any moment, it could come crashing down on them. Are we afraid that any moment some wall of destruction is going to come crashing in upon us?
Faith is believing in things we cannot see. All of us need to cling to the truth that God is surrounding us with His most loving care and protection. He wants us to turn to Him, and He is everywhere. Whenever we are in doubt, or worried, or even just frustrated, He is already there, just as he was thousands of years ago for the Israelites.
I am reminded of a song we sometimes sing in church, “God Will Make a way…”. The lyrics go like this:
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way
The good news is that whenever we are worried or fearful, we do not have to go through challenges alone. God always makes a way for His people, because God is always on our side. We will find a way through this current crisis, and all the other ones we face through life. Have faith and courage. Never let your fears take over your life! The same God who heard the prayers of the Israelites is listening to your prayers. The Lord is already there for you!
Prayer
Dear Lord, we want you to be completely in charge of our lives. Yet when we need you the most, often we think erroneously that we would better off directing our own lives. Help us to turn all of our worries and concerns and fears over to You, allowing You to take charge. Give us the peace to know that no matter what, You are already there. Thank you for this endless promise.
We pray this prayer in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
