Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
“Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So the Israelites did this.”
(Exodus 14:1-4, KJV)
God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and yet the Pharaoh and his Army were after them. God gave specific instructions for them to encamp to a place in the wilderness that was between land and the sea so that the Pharaoh would think they were shut in and stuck and the Lord would deliver the Israelites by showing up and showing out! (GLORY!)
Well as you can imagine from a human point of view, it would appear that the situation went from bad to worse. A natural reaction would be to complain, fret, worry and doubt God. But a faith filled reaction moves us to press on where God leads, unafraid, prepared and ready for the deliverance that is sure to come.
Sometimes God leads his children into difficult situations to mature us and to strengthen our faith in Him. The Israelites were crying out to God and praying for deliverance out of bondage and then when they get instructions that they don’t understand or can only comprehend with human understanding, they wavered in their faith. After all, He created the sea and the mountains so surely God would see to it that they were delivered from the Pharaoh and his army. Moses told the people “Fear not, stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord which He will show you today.” (Ex 14:13). They first needed to abandon their fear and stand firm in God’s power to prevail. Then, they were able to see God’s glory through how he delivered them and finally they were instructed to keep moving forward.
We can’t move forward until we fear not and stand firm. Then we can see God’s glorious deliverance through any tough circumstance that we may face. Our tough circumstances don’t hold any weight to the power and magnificence of what God is able to do. It was faith that brought the Israelites out of captivity and through the Red Sea and into possession of the Promised Land. What tough circumstances are standing in the way of your deliverance? Have you perceived that you have been standing between a rock and a hard place?
We must be careful not to get caught up in spiritual amnesia and forget the deliverance of God. When it looks like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, you’ve got to trust and believe in Him who brings deliverance and can crush the rock and turn your hard place into a high place. You’ve got to do your part: fear not, stand firm and believe! ~LPG