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Exodus​ ​14

After​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​years​ ​of​ ​enduring​ ​excruciating​ ​labour​ ​and​ ​crying​ ​out​ ​to​ ​God​ ​for​ ​deliverance, the​ ​Hebrews​ ​were​ ​set​ ​free.​ ​Pharaoh​ ​had​ ​finally​ ​let​ ​them​ ​go.​ ​God​ ​had​ ​answered​ ​their​ ​long awaited​ ​prayer​ ​and​ ​come​ ​to​ ​their​ ​rescue.​ ​It​ ​seemed​ ​that​ ​all​ ​of​ ​their​ ​problems​ ​were​ ​falling​ ​behind them​ ​as​ ​they​ ​started​ ​their​ ​journey​ ​into​ ​their​ ​Promised​ ​Land.​ ​But​ ​as​ ​they​ ​made​ ​their​ ​way​ ​out​ ​of Egypt,​ ​Pharaoh​ ​in​ ​his​ ​anger​ ​and​ ​pride​ ​made​ ​one​ ​last​ ​attempt​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​them​ ​back​ ​as​ ​his​ ​slaves.

With​ ​a​ ​vengeful​ ​army​ ​approaching,​ ​this​ ​massive​ ​group​ ​of​ ​God’s​ ​people​ ​were​ ​desperate​ ​for​ ​a way​ ​out.​ ​There​ ​was​ ​only​ ​one​ ​route:​ ​forward.​ ​But​ ​considering​ ​the​ ​vast​ ​ocean​ ​before​ ​them​ ​and their​ ​unfortunate​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​boats,​ ​their​ ​chances​ ​weren’t​ ​looking​ ​too​ ​promising.​ ​These​ ​people​ ​were exhausted.​ ​Their​ ​emotions​ ​and​ ​faith​ ​had​ ​been​ ​run​ ​thin.​ ​It​ ​would​ ​have​ ​been​ ​all​ ​too​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​them to​ ​turn​ ​back​ ​and​ ​surrender​ ​to​ ​Pharaoh’s​ ​army.

Because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​awesome​ ​power​ ​of​ ​God​ ​that​ ​came​ ​to​ ​once​ ​again​ ​make​ ​a​ ​way​ ​out​ ​of​ ​an impossible​ ​situation,​ ​they​ ​avoided​ ​facing​ ​total​ ​destruction.​ ​God​ ​not​ ​only​ ​parted​ ​the​ ​Red​ ​Sea​ ​to give​ ​the​ ​Israelites​ ​a​ ​miraculous​ ​escape,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​set​ ​the​ ​waters​ ​back​ ​in​ ​their​ ​place​ ​to​ ​eliminate the​ ​enemies​ ​that​ ​pursued​ ​them.​ ​Ultimately,​ ​the​ ​Israelites​ ​found​ ​their​ ​victory​ ​from​ ​the​ ​very​ ​same thing​ ​that​ ​first​ ​brought​ ​them​ ​grief.

Maybe​ ​you​ ​can​ ​relate.​ ​Maybe​ ​you​ ​have​ ​come​ ​out​ ​of​ ​a​ ​life​ ​of​ ​struggle​ ​and​ ​chaos​ ​and​ ​have started​ ​on​ ​a​ ​path​ ​to​ ​obtain​ ​your​ ​promise,​ ​but​ ​you’re​ ​being​ ​attacked​ ​by​ ​the​ ​things​ ​of​ ​your​ ​past. Failures​ ​and​ ​mistakes​ ​have​ ​a​ ​way​ ​of​ ​creeping​ ​up​ ​in​ ​our​ ​minds​ ​at​ ​the​ ​most​ ​vulnerable​ ​moments. They​ ​make​ ​us​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​our​ ​battles​ ​were​ ​falsely​ ​won​ ​and​ ​convince​ ​us​ ​we’re​ ​still​ ​fighting​ ​for freedom.​ ​We​ ​can​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​we’re​ ​stuck​ ​between​ ​an​ ​ocean​ ​and​ ​an​ ​army,​ ​and​ ​no​ ​matter​ ​how​ ​hard we​ ​press​ ​forward,​ ​our​ ​mistakes​ ​hold​ ​us​ ​back.​ ​It​ ​can​ ​seem​ ​as​ ​though​ ​it’s​ ​just​ ​altogether​ ​less complicated​ ​if​ ​we​ ​turn​ ​back​ ​to​ ​our​ ​previous​ ​life​ ​though​ ​we​ ​know​ ​it’s​ ​destructive.​ ​It’s​ ​mentally, spiritually,​ ​and​ ​emotionally​ ​confusing​ ​and​ ​exhausting.

But​ ​God​ ​thrives​ ​in​ ​the​ ​impossible.​ ​Just​ ​when​ ​everything​ ​seems​ ​over,​ ​He​ ​does​ ​His​ ​greatest miracles.​ ​You​ ​see,​ ​God​ ​never​ ​said​ ​that​ ​living​ ​a​ ​holy​ ​life​ ​would​ ​come​ ​without​ ​problems.​ ​In​ ​fact, He​ ​said​ ​that​ ​there​ ​WOULD​ ​be​ ​many​ ​of​ ​them​ ​because​ ​we​ ​live​ ​in​ ​an​ ​earth​ ​overrun​ ​with​ ​sin.​ ​But He​ ​also​ ​assured​ ​us​ ​that​ ​we​ ​can​ ​have​ ​peace​ ​because​ ​He​ ​has​ ​overcome​ ​every​ ​obstacle​ ​in​ ​this world​ ​(John​ ​16:33).​ ​God​ ​is​ ​our​ ​overcomer​ ​and​ ​provider.​ ​He​ ​delights​ ​in​ ​taking​ ​the​ ​past​ ​pain​ ​that sin​ ​casts​ ​over​ ​our​ ​lives​ ​and​ ​redirecting​ ​it​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​that​ ​brings​ ​us​ ​triumph.​ ​He​ ​already​ ​shed​ ​His blood​ ​to​ ​pay​ ​the​ ​price​ ​for​ ​our​ ​every​ ​sin.​ ​So​ ​when​ ​we​ ​feel​ ​consumed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​hurt​ ​of​ ​what’s​ ​behind us,​ ​all​ ​we​ ​have​ ​to​ ​do​ ​is​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​and​ ​keep​ ​our​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​where​ ​we​ ​find​ ​our​ ​strength and​ ​our​ ​help​ ​(Psalm​ ​121:2).​ ​Not​ ​only​ ​can​ ​God​ ​lead​ ​you​ ​to​ ​the​ ​other​ ​side​ ​of​ ​your​ ​struggle​ ​and into​ ​your​ ​promise,​ ​but​ ​He​ ​can​ ​wash​ ​out​ ​and​ ​cover​ ​every​ ​pain​ ​of​ ​past​ ​mistakes.​ ​Turning​ ​back​ ​to the​ ​past​ ​and​ ​surrendering​ ​to​ ​the​ ​enemy​ ​only​ ​ever​ ​brings​ ​heartache​ ​and​ ​death.​ ​But​ ​turning forward​ ​and​ ​surrendering​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​will​ ​bring​ ​forth​ ​life​ ​and​ ​salvation.

Pray:​ ​​“Lord,​ ​some​ ​days​ ​I​ ​find​ ​myself​ ​struggling​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​my​ ​past​ ​behind​ ​me​ ​and​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​moving forward.​ ​But​ ​I​ ​know​ ​You​ ​have​ ​more​ ​than​ ​enough​ ​strength​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​me​ ​through,​ ​and​ ​You​ ​have already​ ​won​ ​the​ ​battle​ ​for​ ​me!​ ​So​ ​I​ ​will​ ​keep​ ​all​ ​my​ ​focus​ ​and​ ​my​ ​heart​ ​set​ ​on​ ​You.​ ​And​ ​I​ ​will trust​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are​ ​taking​ ​my​ ​every​ ​moment​ ​-​ ​from​ ​past​ ​and​ ​present​ ​-​ ​and​ ​molding​ ​them​ ​to​ ​create a​ ​miraculous​ ​future!”