Then Moses reached out with his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right and on their left. 

Exodus 14: 21-22

The Israelites must have thought it was over.

Moses led them the wrong way. Or worse, God did.

Either way, it appeared as though their journey had come to an end. An ending they couldn’t predict or prepare for.

Surprise though it may have been to them, it did not surprise God. God made the Red Sea, He led Moses to this junction. He didn’t lead wrongly and neither did Moses. Moses was squarely in the will of God and yet… the Egyptians were closing in on them and the Red Sea was creating what seemed to be an insurmountable roadblock.

Ever feel that way? You have followed God, maybe even for years. You have believed for an outcome that lined up with God’s word and yet, you find yourself stuck, trapped and wondering where is God? What did I miss? I have been there. More than once. This pandemic has brought roadblocks to so many people. When will it end? When can I go back to work? When will I see my family? And how will I pay my bills? So many questions and so few answers. I don’t know about you but I have felt trapped many times throughout this past year.

These places of entrapment where God seems silent, where the path we were on comes to a complete stop may surprise us, but they don’t surprise God. He sees the end from the beginning. We can’t just fast forward to see how this scene plays out but we can rewind in our mind to the times God showed up on our behalf. We can find peace in reminding ourselves of those moments or seasons that God brought us through. If He did it once, He can do it again.

Our job in these moments is to rest and trust and take the next best step. Our job isn’t to try and figure it all out, map out a detour, devise a contingency plan or grumble and complain. Easier said than done, I know, but by God’s grace, we can do the impossible. We can stand when everything in us screams “RUN!!!”

Father, forgive me for the times I have allowed fear and panic to be my first and second and third response to a roadblock. I choose to rest and leave this in your capable hands. You parted the Red Sea, You can handle this. You made a way when there seems to be no way. Lead me and my family into Your promised land. Part whatever sea has to be parted, defeat whatever enemy stands in our way, where we have experienced lack, would You bring us overflowing abundance. Help me trust, help me trust, help me trust. In Jesus’s name, amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.

pic credit: unilad.co.uk

pic credit: gramho