As we begin our lesson today—continuing on in Exodus 14, we find that the Egyptians were on the Israelite’s tail; the Israelites were frightened to say the least. And, they’d just got done telling Moses that it would be better to return to slavery than to die in the desert at the hands of the Egyptians… We pick up with today’s section of Exodus 14, beginning with verse 13; listen carefully to God’s word to us today…
“Moses answered, ‘Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and all you have to do is keep still.’ 15 The LORD said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward.’” – Exodus 14:13-15 (TEV)
Tell the people to move forward; just take the next step … in faith. We’ll get back to that one in just a few moments. First, let’s review:
- RULE #1 – Realize that God means for you to be right where you are…
- RULE #2 – Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief…
- RULE #3 – Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord…
- RULE #4 – Pray!
Now, Red Sea Rule #5 is this:
RULE #5: STAY CALM & CONFIDENT AND GIVE GOD TIME TO WORK! Verse 13a tells us, “Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the LORD will do to save you today….” And, what was the LORD going to do to save them on that day? Moses goes on to tell them in the last part of v. 13(b): “…you will never see these Egyptians again.” Do you remember Red Sea Rule #3? This was their enemies that God was speaking of here… What great news!
My father used to have an expression that he would use with my mom … and others, depending on the situation and who was there. He often used to tell us kids, too (especially the ones who were more excitable), “Don’t get excited until I do!”
You know, that’s pretty much what God was telling Moses and the people of Israel in this section of scripture: DON’T GET EXCITED UNTIL I DO! Simply follow my instructions… How much better off we would be if we would listen to God’s wisdom here: DON’T GET EXCITED UNTIL GOD DOES…
So, what is he telling us in this FIFTH RULE? Let me go back to our introduction to the worship service for just a moment… One of the hardest things for us to do in life is all about four little words: LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD (Romans 12:19, NIV)! That is the key to Rule #5…STAYING CALM & CONFIDENT IN THE MIDST OF A RED SEA MOMENT INVOLVES ALLOWING GOD TO BE GOD!
This is what the biblical phrase ‘wait on the Lord’ is all about: committing our Red Sea situations to God in prayer, trusting him, and waiting for him to work! Now, let me be the first to say that this runs counter to what our human instincts usually want to do: fix things (especially us guys)… This is also why ‘waiting on the Lord’ is an act of faith…
As author Robert J. Morgan would say: “…many a modern migraine would be cured by a good dose of Psalm 37:7-8,” which tells us: “Be patient and wait for the LORD to act; … 8 Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.” If you are in the midst of a tough situation right now, perhaps you need to entrust the problem to God and just leave it in his hands for awhile… Remember, it’s God alone who can part the waters; he’s done it before … and he can do it again in your life! Staying calm & confident in the midst of a tough situation means … leaving room for God in your life—allowing God to be God in your life…
STAYING CALM & CONFIDENT IN THE MIDST OF A RED SEA MOMENT ALSO INVOLVES NOT GIVING IN TO FEAR! Let me say it this way: Maturity can be described as the ability to keep one’s passions or emotions under control … and this is God’s desire for us, to walk by faith and not just by feelings…
I have a niece who is now about 4 years old. But, when Lily was around 2 years old, in particular, she had little control over her emotions. Have you ever been around a 2-year-old? They are just amazing, aren’t they?
When Lily was happy … it was as if she was ‘happy all over!’ You couldn’t stifle her; she would race through the house like a little tornado, laughing, playing, and sometime screaming (joyfully, of course)! And then other times, she was sad &/or angry from head to toe—no middle way at all. This involved a different kind of screaming, crying, flailing of hands, and many times stomping the feet!
Lily, at that age, had very little control over her emotions … and, more than likely, none of us did. But again, maturity can be described as the ability to keep one’s passions or emotions under control! And, that’s God’s desire for us—to live by faith and not by our emotions … so that we can remain calm & confident in the midst of life’s Red Sea moments…
In scripture, God gives us these words to live by:
- Deuteronomy 1:29-31 (TEV) says,”But I told you, ‘Don’t be afraid of those people. 30 The LORD your God will lead you, and he will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt 31 and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely all the way to this place, just as a father would carry his son.’”
- Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Romans 8:31, 37 (TEV) reminds us, “In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? … 37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!”
Many times, we cannot solve problems, heal hurts, change circumstances, or win our own battles; at those times, we must kneel in prayer (Red Sea Rule #4), and then stand to see what God will do! We must leave room for God, then stay calm & give God time to work… Finally:
RULE #6: WHEN UNSURE, JUST TAKE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP BY FAITH! Verse 15 reminds us, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward.’”
There was a 19th century Bible scholar by the name of C.H. Mackintosh who believed that the Red Sea did not divide throughout all at once … but opened progressively as Israel moved forward, so that they needed to trust God for each new step. (I know you’ve seen the Moses movies, but those are not always the most accurate interpretations of what went on…) Mackintosh shares this: “God never gives guidance for two steps at a time. I must take one step, and then I get light for the next. This keeps the heart in abiding dependence upon God.”
It really goes without saying, folks, that God generally leads his children step-by-step, provides for us day-by-day, and cares for us moment-by-moment:
- Nehemiah 9:19 (TLB) says, “The pillar of cloud led them forward day by day [italics mine].”
- Psalm 42:8 (TLB) tells us, “Day by day the LORD also pours out his steadfast love upon me [italics mine].”
- In Luke 11:3 (TEV), we find this prayer: “Give us day by day the food we need [italics mine].” (And if our food, then also our daily work, our daily plans, our daily opportunities…)
Jane and I learned this lesson several years ago when our lives changed suddenly in answer to God’s call to ministry; those next steps were very scary! How in the world was I going to get back to school (I’d only finished one year of college at that point), afford it, support a family of 4, and do a good job at all of it? Jane and I had to decide early on that were just going to trust God and take … one step at a time… We would pray … and then obey; it was in our obedience that God would then reveal the next step:
- That’s how I passed a vocal audition at Asbury College, after not having sung for the better part of 10 years—the first step…
- That’s how God opened doors for employment at Airborne Express in Lexington, KY, the second door I walked into—the second step…
- That’s how God provided affordable housing for us to live in Wilmore, KY (where Asbury College is) in a little 2-bedroom duplex to get us started—the third step…
When you don’t know what to do next, tell fear to ‘take a hike’ and look to Christ for that next step! Trust God for guidance in small increments… Following God’s will isn’t a matter of unveiling, but unfolding … just like the parting of the Red Sea … asking us to trust each and every step along the way. The One who sees our faraway future reveals each step toward that future … one step at a time. We couldn’t handle it any other way … and God loves us enough to lay it out for us just like that… So,
RULE #5: STAY CALM & CONFIDENT AND GIVE GOD TIME TO WORK! The main thing here is … LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD in your life!
RULE #6: WHEN UNSURE, JUST TAKE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP BY FAITH! And know that the God who loves us more than any other … will be there to catch us and show us the way… That’s what walking by faith—not by fear—is all about…