We begin a new series today called “Red Sea Rules,” based on a little book by pastor & author Robert J. Morgan—who God gave direction to when he was going through a difficult time of life. For this entire series, our focus will be on the first few verses of Exodus, Chapter 14. It’s the story of Moses … and his life’s crowning achievement—helping free God’s people from the Egyptians. Do you remember the Moses story? As we go through this series together, I’m going to challenge you to read through the Moses story this summer! It’s found in the Old Testament book of Exodus—one of the books of Moses. Today, however, let’s begin here…
Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon. 3 The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert. 4 I will make him stubborn, and he will pursue you, and my victory over the king and his army will bring me honor. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” The Israelites did as they were told. – Exodus 14:1-4 (TEV)
The story of the Red Sea could be summed up like this: God will always make a way for His tired, yet trusting, children … even if He must split the sea to do it! Listen to these verses from scripture that remind us of this truth:
- In Isaiah 43:19 (KJV), the prophet tells us, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
- The Apostle Paul shares this truth with the church at Colossae (4:2-3, CEV): “When you pray, keep alert and be thankful. Be sure to pray that God will make a way….”
- Isaiah (11:15, NRSV), once again, describes what God can do in this way: “And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt; and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching wind; and will split it into seven channels, and make a way to cross on foot….”
- Paul to the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 10:13, BECK) assures us of this: “You can trust God. He will not let you be tested more than you can stand. But when you are tested, he will also make a way out so that you can bear it.”
God will always make a way … where there seems to be no way! Isn’t that the way the old Gospel song goes? In studying the crossing of the Red Sea, in Exodus 14, Moses learned this life lesson … and others … that took him through some very challenging days of his life; those lessons are still good for us today! So, what do we need to know, so that we can see God at work in our lives, walking through our most difficult days with us? Here’s Rule #1…
RULE #1: GOD MEANS FOR YOU TO BE WHERE YOU ARE! You know, folks, at times … life may feel like a cul-de-sac! Have you ever felt that way—like your life just drove into a difficult circumstance and you felt hemmed in, with no escape from your current situation in sight? I’m sure that Moses and the people of Israel sure felt that way, as they were backed up against the sea and saw that the Egyptian army was closing in on them from the rear…
Going along with this rule, I want you to know that there’s a real secret to being content wherever you are at the moment; did you know that? That secret is revealed in this verse from an unknown author … that I’ve come to appreciate over the years… I Met God in the Morning…
I met God in the morning, when my day was at its best and His presence came like sunrise, like a glory in my breast. All day long the Presence lingered; all day long He stayed with me; and we sailed in perfect calmness o’er a very troubled sea. Other ships were blown and battered, other ships were sore distressed, but the winds that seemed to drive them brought to us a peace and rest. Then I thought of other mornings, with a keen remorse of mind, when I too had loosed the moorings with the Presence left behind. So, I think I know the secret, learned from many a troubled way; You must seek Him in the morning if you want Him through the day.
Folks, the truth is: it doesn’t matter where you are … or what you’re going through. The way to be content in any circumstance (as Paul would put it) is to know that God is there with you. GOD MEANS FOR YOU TO BE WHERE YOU ARE right now; that is no mistake!
We have some real human tendencies that pop up at times like this, though; let me share a few with you, briefly…
- Sometimes, we have a tendency to WORRY, don’t we? But, is that what God wants during our difficult times?
Worry was once described as ‘a small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind, cutting a channel into which all other thoughts go.’ In other words, worry can absolutely consume our thought life! And, many of us have been there, haven’t we?
- The preacher, John R. Rice, once said, “Worry is putting question marks where God has put periods.”
- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen called worry “…a form of atheism, for it betrays a lack of faith and trust in God.”
For some us, worry comes as natural as breathing … but why? Why is it so easy to worry? Well, in the Bible, we are likened to sheep, aren’t we? Have you ever seen how easily sheep are spooked? They’re fenced in and well-fed, so they really have very little to worry about ; yet, in a moment’s notice, they can bolt out of fear due to nothing more than a rabbit jumping through the grass… ‘Not really a quality that God admires in his sheep though, is it? No matter what the circumstance, you need to remember that GOD MEANS FOR YOU TO BE WHERE YOU ARE!
- We also have a tendency to ask ‘why me?’ When we get to that point, we need to remember that God knows what He’s doing and allows particular circumstances in our lives for His kingdom’s sake. 1 Peter 4:12 (NRSV) reminds us,
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
If you find yourself in a difficult spot, remember: you are there by God’s appointment, in God’s keeping, under God’s training, and for God’s time; as followers of Christ, it’s not about us…
- We also have a tendency to make situations worse by not following God’s lead for our lives; in other words, God may reveal to us OUR PART of the current situation…
Don’t ever forget, though we may not go with God’s PLAN A, God uses PLAN B’s to help us grow, too! The truth is, sometimes God needs to reveal to us how we got where we’re at; and then, we need to take responsibility for our part of that! And, yes, we need to always remember RULE #1: GOD MEANS FOR US TO BE WHERE WE ARE; even if we’ve forced God to a PLAN B for our lives, God can show us clearly what we’ve done … and move us to a better day, with Him! Folks, realizing what our part is … should lead to confession, which then leads to forgiveness (even self-forgiveness) … and then to better days! Above all else, remember: GOD MEANS FOR YOU TO BE WHERE YOU ARE! NEXT:
RULE #2: BE CONCERNED WITH GOD’S GLORY, NOT JUST YOUR RELIEF! Life will show us the wisdom of the right question…
I had a seminary professor who once told the class that having the right answer was not always preferable; instead, he suggested that life was really about asking the right question…
The truth is, sometimes we can’t find the right answers in life because … we’re asking the wrong questions! Especially when we’re in the midst of an impossible situation, our natural instinct is to ask things like:
- “How did I get into this mess, and how can I get out?”
- “How quickly can I solve this problem (especially if you’re a man)?”
- “Why did this have to happen to me?”
And, we tend to be obsessed with these questions when in the midst of something…
Let me suggest, however, that there may be a better way: The next time you’re overwhelmed, instead of asking these questions, why not ask: “How can God be glorified in this situation?”
Folks, one’s perspective is entirely transformed by the spiritual realities behind our approach! It’s like switching on the floodlights in a dark stadium! Asking the right question can dramatically change your attitude! (And, if you’ve ever been in the midst of a tough situation, then you already know that sometimes our attitudes need to be adjusted in the midst of life trauma.) This leads me to the next thoughts…
- Life’s right questions will lead us to a new perspective, then…
- Life’s right questions & a new perspective … will lead us to a God who’s always faithful!
So, begin by asking the right questions! And let the right question lead you to … BE CONCERNED WITH GOD’S GLORY, NOT JUST YOUR RELIEF! Again, as Christians, we need to know that LIFE IS NOT ABOUT US! It’s about something much bigger… Finally, Psalm 34:19 (KJV) reminds us:
“Many are the afflictions (troubles) of the righteous: but the LORD [delivers them] out of them all.”
Folks, instead of asking, “How did I get here?” or “How can I get out of this mess?” perhaps we should ask, “How can God be glorified in the situation I am now facing?” knowing that we are right where God wants us (or has allowed us) to be…
Believing that God will always be there to deliver us from whatever trouble we’re going through means:
- TRUSTING GOD for our situational geography (where we’re currently at in life)—knowing that no one cares about us like God does!
- PUTTING GOD FIRST in our lives—ahead of our current circumstances that may just last but a moment (always learning that ‘it’s not about us!’)…
There’s Rules #1 & #2… Next, week (8 AM ONLY!) … we’ll be on to #3 & #4! Don’t miss it…