Only be still

Movement is happening. 

We don't know where it will end up but God is up to something. 

Seems like I have a recurring theme in my life. A theme of God stretching my trust in Him. I have to learn these lessons over and over again. Each time a little bigger. The blessing a little greater as I learn to walk by faith. 

Recently, Zach and I have been pursuing the next step in our lives as a couple called to ministry. I will spare the details for now as we are still in the beginning stages of what the future may hold but some common life themes included in this new adventure are 1) Trust and 2) Lord, this isn't what I had planned but I will follow. 

A couple weeks ago we bought a piece of art work to hang in our home. We chose to hang this new Hobby Lobby find over a part of my house that I call our "Wedding Wall". Which seems to be a very appropriate home for this plaque. The piece reads a cherished piece of Scripture "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14. The fact that I am here now, married to Zach and living half way across the country is proof that the Lord will fight for us. Against all odds and the doubts of many, I am here. Married to the one God had chosen for me and fulfilling the plan He has for my life. This piece of art is a reminder in our home that the Lord has a plan for us despite the odds. 

After purchasing this piece I decided to dig a little into that fourteenth chapter of Exodus. It always helps to better understand a piece of Scripture when you know it's context and just what God is teaching in that passage. Here we find the Israelites being led by Moses out of their HOME into the journey that will lead them to the Promised Land- the land they had being hearing about for generations. This is the journey of freedom and redemption for their people! It has been a long time coming and I sense that now that it has finally arrived the Isrealites are expecting this to be somewhat of an easy ride into the victory of God's promise for them. 

Now in our world today we often get told that when we follow God, when we listen to His voice the path will be easy and the burden will be light. Some false teachings go as far as to say that if this isn't the case your life must be ridden with sin. This is contradictory to the Gospel of Christ, no where does the Bible show us that following the Lord is a cake walk. But, sometimes we have made up our minds that it will be. As it appears the Isrealites had. 

As we read this passage we see that during their journey out of Egypt they are being avidly pursued by Pharaoh and his men. The very man that had used them as slaves and made their lives unbearably difficult. At this piece of their trek stood before them the vast Red Sea and behind them an army of all the chariots of Egypt filled with men wanting to either kill them or capture them to re-introduce them to slavery. This predicament was inevitably trapping them and leaving them what seemed like no choice but bondage, the opposite of what God had promised. Exodus 14:10-11 says they were terrified and cried out to the Lord asking him WHY He had brought them into the dessert to be slaughtered by their enemies.

What is your plan God!? Don't you see this is hard and feels IMPOSSIBLE! We should give up and turn back, there is NO way we can ever accomplish this. It is TOO big for us!!! 

Many times in my life I stand looking behind me seeing the enemy trying to chase me down. He is large and he comes in many forms. Fears, struggles, burdens, sin...the list continues. And I stand before the Lord and I beg Him WHY!? Why did you bring me to this point? I can not continue. It is too big for me! Did you bring me to this place to fail? What about your promise God? Lord, where are you? 

Moses, the chosen mouth piece of God to this group of terrified people, speaks. 

"Do not be afraid. 

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. 

The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

Exodus 14:13-14

In that moment God moves. He commands Moses to lift his staff before the waters of the sea to part it so that His people may walk across on dry land. The people walked on dry land with a wall of water to their left and to their right. The enemy still pursued them, but because of the Mighty hand of the Savior they were overcome eventually being swept away by the waters of the sea. 

How great is our God. 

In the midst of the biggest struggles of our life, the biggest moments of fear and impossibility He moves. He provides a way to accomplish His purpose for our life so that He may gain the glory v 4, 18. He will fight for us, we need only be still. 

As our family faces the great unknown, the seemingly impossible task that lies before us I draw hope from the piece of art that now hangs in my home. It reminds me of this great story of God's victory despite the impossible. As His child, He has not forgotten you. If you trust him, He will provide the way of escape. He will part the seemingly impossible waters and wipe away the largest army of enemies you have ever faced so that His name will be made great and His will be accomplished for you. Cling to the promise.