As I read Exodus 13-15 in my chronological Bible reading plan, I saw myself in Israel. Ouch! The great Waymaker made a way and delivered Israel from centuries of cruel bondage. Israel saw the great plagues. They saw the hardness of Pharaoh melt into a puddle. They left with Egypt’s wealth in their pockets. They saw an ever-present miraculous cloud and pillar of fire. Yet, amid God’s fantastic waymaking, miraculous acts, there is faithless drama!
As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’ (Exodus 14:10–12, NLT)
Ouch! That’s first-class drama, and that’s where I sometimes see myself! If we are honest, we all have a resident drama queen. We know how to panic when we see trouble. We know how to think the worst about God when He has done nothing but make a way for us. We know how to fear. Oh yes, the resident drama queen is alive and well. What was Moses’ answer to all of this?
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:13–14, NLT)
Be still, stay calm, and watch the Waymaker! The Waymaker is not done- there’s a Red Sea to part, an army to drown, and a song of praise yet to sing! Take some deep breaths, don’t panic, be still, stay calm. God is just getting started! May we see ourselves in the following verse…
“When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” (Exodus 14:31, NLT)
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