I’m still sifting through my thoughts from our Italian adventure. The international pastor’s message has settled under my skin. I keep seeing God’s people, standing by the sea, waiting for the waters to part. It’s sent me back into the Exodus for additional insights.
"For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land, the wilderness has shut them in.' Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them' and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord" And they did so." (Exodus 14:3-4 NASB1995)
God was honored by the Israelites obedience, even if it meant they looked foolish for a little while. Sometimes, God asks us to take one for the team, but obedience is still our best move. This is true even when we don’t understand it, when we can’t see it, and we object to the obvious outcome. The Israelites were essentially sitting ducks on the side of the Red Sea. God set them as live bait to lure the idolatrous Egyptians into His judgement.
"When the King of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" (Exodus 14:5 NASB 1995)
God can actually use our obedience to change the hearts of others. They may perceive our obedience as weakness, but that’s okay because God is our defender. We don’t have to protect our reputation – we can trust He’s watching over our lives.
It’s important to note, we may experience fear amidst our obedience. This is not adequate reason to abandon the cause. Instead, we cry upward. We bring our concerns to God. We are careful not to make cruel accusations or burn relational bridges. We take our objections to upper management, not our colleagues.
"But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." (Exodus 14:13-14 NASB 1995)
Obedient people can trust God to fight for them. What’s more, our obedience becomes an opportunity for others to see God clearly. There’s divine protection when we walk (or sit still) in obedience. Maybe that’s why obedience is rarely easy.
"The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them ad stood behind them. So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night." (Exodus 14:19-19-20 NASB 1995)
Ultimately, the Israelites had to walk through a trench in the sea with walls of water on either side. I’ve tried many times to put myself in their sandals, with the Egyptians hot on their heels and the Red Sea rushing up before them. Would I have been brave enough to step out onto the seabed? Was there any other choice? Think for a moment about the feats of nature you’ve experienced in your lifetime: thunder that shook the foundations of your home, a derecho that flattened cornfields, a tornado tearing through town – we have no reason to believe that this sea blown apart was any less formidable and yet God called His people to walk through it with a cloud of light and dark at their back.
The entire ordeal seemed impossible; it was, in fact, impossible. They fled across the sea floor all through the night, walking straight through the wildest weather even mankind has ever witnessed. And as the sun came up, they set foot on the far side of the shore. The light of day revealed the Egyptians braving their way behind them until the waters crashed back into place washing their enemies away. At last, the Israelites were truly, totally free. No foremen, no Pharaoh, no bricks or mud or rations. Only a great, big, loving God calling them out into intimate fellowship.
Beloved, there is freedom on the other side of obedience. I don’t know how many small, deliberate steps in the right direction it will require, but I do know God Himself is calling us out from the slavery of sin and away from our cruel taskmasters. It is frightening to leave the life we know, to stand at the waterline with the enemy at our back and wonder when the waters will part, but God is faithful. He rescues obedient people. He is moving us one step at a time toward a life of freedom and fellowship with Him.
Keep pressing on, following His voice, surrendering to His next request even when it doesn’t seem to make any sense in the natural. Keep in mind, His ways are higher and wider than ours, but also infinitely better. In the end, our enemy will be washed away, cast into a lake of fire and we’ll dwell with the Lord forever. And rejoicing will ensue.
Lord, we are bewildered by the wilderness You call us into. It’s scary to set out from the familiar even when it’s bondage. Give us courage and make us compliant. Help us understand that obedience often costs our reputation and comfort. Remind us of what lies on the other side of the sea. May we set our hearts on You and refuse to settle for anything less. Amen.