The entire time I was reading to Coralyn, I felt like God was whispering in my ear, "Sarah, this story is for you. Listen carefully. Don't panic. Trust me. If I did it then, I can do it again. I will make a way. Just watch and see!"
Here's the "kid version" of this oh-so-familiar Bible story:
Moses and God's people escaped out of Egypt and into the wilderness. They didn't know the way -- but God knew the way and He would show them.
"I will bring you to a new home, a special land," God promised them. "I will look after you. I am with you."
God sent a big cloud for them to follow -- a pillar of smoke stretching up to the sky. I moved in front of them as they walked and shaded them from the blazing heat of the day. And when it was time to rest, it stopped. All through the cold desert nights it kept them warm, glowing like fire.
Anybody else wish God still used clouds of smoke and pillars of fire today?!
It sure would make following Him a heck of a lot easier!
There would be no doubt as to where He wanted to us to go!!!
God led His people through the desert to the edge of a great sea. They were just wondering how to cross it when, suddenly, they heard a terrible thundering and pounding. It sounded almost like horses' hooves. They shaded their eyes to look back -- and screamed! It was! Pharaoh and his army were coming to get them!
Pharaoh had changed his mind again. "Get my slaves BACK!" he screeched and charged out into the desert after them -- with 600 of his fastest horsemen -- and every single chariot in Egypt.
What were God's people going to do? In front of them was a big sea. It was so big there was no way around it. But there was no way through it -- it was too deep. They didn't have any boats so they couldn't sail across. And they couldn't swim across because it was too far and they would drown. And they couldn't turn back because Pharaoh was chasing them. They could see the flashing swords now, glinting in the baking sun, and the dust clouds, and chariot after scary chariot surging towards them. So they did the only thing there was left to do -- PANIC!
First of all the children's song, "Going on a bear hunt" came to mind. Throughout the bear hunt, you encounter various obstacles like a wheat field -- which you have to go through, a tall tree -- which you have to climb, and a river -- which you have to swim across. Whatever the obstacle, there is always a solution to getting through, over, under, or across. There is no stopping you from reaching the bear cave. And once you do reach the cave, and see the big bear eyes gleaming, you PANIC and run back the way you just came from and through, over, under, and across all those same obstacles yet again.
Second, the song, "Pharaoh, Pharaoh" ran through me head.
"Pharaoh's army was a comin' too.
So what do you think that I should do?"
Well, it's a good thing Moses was there, with his handy dandy staff.
While everyone else was in a panic, running around like beheaded chickens, Moses was calmly holding out his staff over the waters of the Red Sea.
As the song continues,
"I raised my rod and stuck it in the sand,
"I raised my rod and stuck it in the sand,
And all God's people walked across dry land."
The Jesus Storybook Bible describes the scene this way (and can't you just see Charles Hesston with his white beard playing the part of Moses):
"We're going to die!" they shrieked.
"Don't be afraid!" Moses said.
"But there's nothing we can do!" they screamed.
"God knows you can't do anything!" Moses said. "God will do it for you. Trust Him. And watch!"
"But there's no way out!" they cried.
"God will make a way!" Moses said.
Another minute and they would have been over. But then the strangest thing happened.
The writer goes on to recount how God parted the Red Sea and made a way for His people to flee from the approaching Egyptian army. Not only did they cross where the water had once been just seconds before, but they walked across on DRY ground!
When the Egyptians tried to follow, the walls of water crashed back down on them and swallowed them up.
Cue music:
Back to the all-time favorite Ponca song...
"I raised my rod and cleared my throat,
And all Pharaoh's army did the dead man's float."
God's people were safe. They danced and laughed and sang and thanked God -- when there had been no way out, God had made a way.
God is good at that, making a way when there isn't one. As the Storybook Bible goes on to say:
Many years later, once again, God was going to make a way where there was no way.
From the beginning, God's children had been running from Him and hiding. God knew His children couldn't get back to Him by themselves -- they were lost, they didn't know the way back.
But God knew the way.
And one day He would show them.
Of course, the author is referring to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, who would come to lead us back to God the Father.
And if God, who did not spare His only Son (while we were still His enemies nonetheless!), can make a way for us who deserve death to be completely forgiven and instead have eternal life, will He not provide all that we now need to live for Him?!
Yep, I'm pretty sure if God has my salvation covered, He's certainly got this whole house situation under wraps. Piece of cake compared to washing away my sins.
And so, I'm not going to panic (or at least try my hardest not to!). Instead, I am going to remember all that God has done, how He has never yet failed to make a way, even when there was no way. I am going to do just as Moses instructed the Israelites, "Trust Him. And watch!"
When God does make a way, I will do just as the Israelites did after reaching the other side of the Red Sea: praise Him with all my might, jumping up and down for joy until I fall down, exhausted from worshipping my God with all my strength.
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