When You're Backed Into A Corner...

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 

 

Picture it: The Israelites have just been led out of the land of Egypt (after the 10 plagues) and have made it as far as the Red Sea.  Pharoah (ruler of Egypt) decides he wants the Israelites back in Egypt and takes his army to chase after them.  The Israelites (led my Moses) now find themselves with the Egyptian Army on one side of them and the Red Sea on the other side.  They don't know how they're going to get out of this one (insert cliffhanger music here).

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just could not see how a good outcome?  I have.  What happens when we encounter these situations?  We panic!  We complain! We blame! None of which are helpful to our situation.

 

But look at what God told the Israelites through Moses: "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today."  Somehow I can hear the people of Israel shouting, "ARE YOU KIDDING? 'STAND STILL and WATCH'? Are you insane?"   We don't do very well at sitting still, do we.  We want to fix the situation.  We want to make a way out.  WE want to find a solution.  

 

I used to chuckle at the old Lifesavers advertisement where the child who is squirming in church is given a Lifesaver and immediately calms down.  My thinking was, Lifesavers are candy.....candy is made of SUGAR.....giving sugar to a child will, most likely, create an situation whereby the squirming ceases.  But I could be wrong.  Regardless, we don't like to sit still.

 

Have you ever been so upset that you couldn't even see straight and someone told you to "calm down"?  How well did that work?

 

However, when we stop trying to do God's job and we let God be God, it's amazing the solutions He brings.  So when you find yourself in a situation where you aren't sure there IS a solution...give it to God and let Him be God all over your situation!