| | Today, God gave me a deeper insight on the story of Israelites at the Red Sea, especially from the perspective of Moses. After listening to Pastor Dave's WCC workshop on "Quarter-Life Crisis" (Thanks Andrea for the CD!) I've got a whole new appreciation of what it must be like for Moses. God calls Moses through the burning bush, and in a less than self-confident posture, obeys God to go to speak to Pharaoh with nothing more than the promise that God will be with Him. After having been used by God to perform miracles and finally forcing the Pharaoh out of Egypt, God leads them to a dead-end at the Red Sea.
I've read this story many times, and even seen the movies! However, today God showed me how panicked and afraid I would be if I was Moses in this situation. Following God's leading, Moses end up in a dead-end. The Israelites are trapped and have nowhere to go. If I was Moses, I would probably be thinking did I not hear God correctly. Did I make some mistake along the way?
The stakes for him and for the Israelites was huge. If the Egyptians caught the Israelites, Moses and many of the Israelites would probably be killed. The surviving Israelites would probably be subject to even harsher punishments. The end of a dream of freedom. The end of hope for the Israelites. Moses would've failed spectacularly. This spoke big to me. To fail miserably is probably one of my biggest fears. That fear drives me to work hard and to be responsible in what I do. In Moses' case, not only would it be a big personal failure, but the effects of his failure would also be far ranging not only with the dead of many Israelites but perhaps even the potential end of an entire race of people. I don't know if I can handle that much responsibility.
I think I fear that one day I would end up in an impossible situation. I think God often leads us to uncomfortable and difficult places. I am afraid that one day, in following God's leading, I would end up in a dead-end and God will not be there. I am afraid I would've gambled everything I had in following after God and then God will not be around when I needed Him the most. In following God's leading, I risk all and end up at the Red Sea with incredible stakes, the Egyptians pursuing, and no way out.
God spoke to me today that He will always be there with me. God will not leave me to face the problem by myself. He will always be there with me to provide a way or to help me through it. God calls us to follow Him to a place that He will show us. He invites us to join Him in what He is doing. He doesn't usually tell us too much about what we will face ahead of time. As I follow him, I sometimes look at my circumstance and wonder if this is what He had in mind for me and if He loves me. Calls us to give up more and more of ourselves to Him, especially our securities in this life, so that we may come to trust and be more dependent on Him.
I've gotta say, one of the temptations of returning to the U.S. is to just go back to a comfortable life and a comfortable job by default. To provide and prepare for my own future out of my fear that God will not be there at the Red Sea. To go back to what is known and to what you feel like you can control is always more tempting than going to a place that is unknown and to do something that is contrary to the values of the world. If He promises to be with me always, even if I end up at the Red Sea, could I not let go of the things that I need in order to feel secure in life?
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| | Posted 6/1/2007 3:29 AM - 51 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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