Today’s Reading: Exodus 16-19

I wonder.  The subject of a conversation the other night was grumbling or complaining.  That is kind of the impression I get about Israel-a bunch of grumblers.  But I can relate.  The desert is not my favorite place and it generally does not make me happy.  I prefer my forests with cool mountain streams and plenty of shade.  What gets me is that God has just done these truly amazing things, first in the plagues and then at the Red Sea and they accuse Him of bringing them out of Egpyt to kill them.  I wonder what it takes for us to trust God?
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As often happens, this thought brings to mind something that happened during Jesus’ walk on earth.  "So Jesus said to him, 'Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.’” (John 4:48)  The people of Israel had all sorts of signs and wonders and yet they still did not trust God.   I wonder what it takes for us to believe and then to trust?

Pretty exciting stuff in today’s reading.  The parting of the Red Sea so that God’s redeemed people to pass through safely to the other side.  God fought their battle and was victorious over the army of Pharoah.  His victory came in a manner I would never have conceived in my wildest dreams.  Only God.
I do love how the New Living Translation reads for Exodus 14: 13-14, 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.”

Just stay calm.  Just stand still and watch.  Moses trusted the LORD, but even he did not see what was coming.  God had told him in the previous verses that Egypt was going to come after them but that He had a plan to show Egypt once and for all that He is LORD.  So Moses told the people to hang tight and just watch what God would do.  He did not know the full story.  Moses cries out to God when the people become fearful as the Egyptians approach and God says, “Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the people to get moving!  Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea.  Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.”  (NLT again)  How awesome is that!

I sang in a thousand voice choir once and I can only imagine what the voices raised in song on this morning were like as they all joined in to sing:

May grace abound,

Time and time again Pharaoh is shown the hand of God over creation.  Time and time again Pharaoh asks Moses to pray to God on his behalf and says he will do what God says as soon as the plague is lifted.  Time and time again Pharaoh goes back on his word as soon as the suffering is over.  He is not so different from many people and their approach to God.

We are not in a position to bargain with God.  God had a purpose in the plagues and it was to demonstrate His power and declare the majesty of His name.  That sounds a bit familiar…something I read in Job last week about the purpose of Job’s suffering was so that God could demonstrate His power.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.  If you don’t, I will send more plagues on you and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth.  By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.  But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go.  So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt.  Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.’”
 Some of Pharaoh’s officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields.  But those who paid no attention to the word of the Lord left theirs out in the open. (Exodus 9:13-21)

I admit to not always having the bigger picture in mind.  All too often I have my two feet firmly planted on this earthly plane rather than on the Rock that is Christ.  It was not always just the Egyptians who suffered under the plagues, especially at first.  Even the Hebrews were grumbling about how difficult their lives had become. 
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One of the things I find interesting about the passage I quoted above is that some of the Egyptians did begin to fear God and heed His word.  God warned them what was coming next, He warned them to take certain actions if they wanted to save their lives.  Some did, some did not.  Again, it puts me in mind of people today.  God has told us what He plans to do.  He has laid it out pretty specifically.  And He has given us a way out of the judgment to come, of the consequences of our sin.  All that is required of us is to believe.  And He even gives us the faith to make that possible.  The question I am asking myself today is, “do I trust Him.”  Do I grasp that all that happens in my life is so that His power may be displayed?  And if so, how does that change my attitude towards the trials that come.  How does that change my attitude towards the people God places along my path?  It is a whole lot easier to give in to annoyance than to surrender my will to God’s purpose and plan.

May grace abound,