just a thought

So, at church on Sunday, one of the speakers was talking about faith. It wasn't anything we haven't all heard before. It's just that it's always good to hear it again.

He spoke of the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and how they got to the Red Sea and were in need of a serious miracle to get away from Pharaoh's armies. Some of the children of Israel began to complain. I really can't blame them. They began to doubt that they had been led here by God. They were forgetting the miracles that had previously taken place. Because they were again met with opposition, they doubted their journey.

And then...

the waters parted.

(Insert singing of heavenly choruses)

Oh phew! Except the waters stayed parted and the Egyptians started to follow them. I'm pretty sure I would've been saying, "Seriously?" (That 's one of my favorite things to say.) Followed by an eye roll.

So, even though they'd had oodles of miracles, they knew they were doing the right thing, they had seen the hand of the Lord in their daily lives, they panicked, then the sea parted and they crossed a SEA on DRY LAND!!! Only to look back to see the crazy Egyptians hot on their tails. If they were panicked before, I'm pretty sure they were again. Here they are walking across an ocean ON DRY LAND and they were still being pursued!

And then...

God returned the waters to their normal state, and in Exodus 14:28 we read that the waters "covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them." I really love the dry humor of the Bible. In verse 30 it says "Thus the Lord saved Israel that day..." hahaha. I love it. All in a days work:)

Anyhow, the point that I took with me on Sunday, one that I am reminded of often, is that even though we may be doing the right thing, it doesn't necessarily mean it's all going to be easy peasy lemon squeezy. In fact, a good way to tell that you are doing what's right is if suddenly the Egyptian army is after you and you're stuck between them, huge sand dunes and a big ol' sea. Just take a deep breath and start walking into the water.

Have faith and the sea will part...