Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Israelites

My good friend texted me this week with some thoughts from her Sunday worship. Made me think. I thought I would share with you my thoughts.


Exodus 14

The Lord has led the Israelites out of Egypt. He has them wander so that they look confused to Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and he pursues the Israelites. The people cry out to Moses “were there not enough graves in Egypt?” The people and Moses cry out to God for deliverance, and God says to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

Is it possible that sometimes we act as the Israelites? We don’t see a way out. We complain, we cry, we wail, we pray harder and longer. All the while God is saying to us, “Why are you crying out to me? Move on.” Do we ever get “stuck” in "prayer" and forget that God is calling us to “Move On”? Don’t get me wrong, prayer is VITAL. Is it sometimes possible though that we use “prayer and calling out to God” as an excuse to not move forward? I know I have in my own life. Just think about it… The Israelites really thought they were stuck. Believed they were lambs to the slaughter. And in all reality, there was no earthly way out. So they did what any believer would do. They call out to God. But God said, “Stop crying out. Move On!” When the Israelites “moved on,” God led them through what I think would have been one of the most awesome natural phenomenons and escapes EVER. Water piled high on every side, the fish at eye level. Maybe even something prehistoric in those waters. Let’s see Hollywood capture that! The Israelites “moved on,” they walked through a very scary yet awe inspiring ordeal and guess what- God delivered them!

May we have the faith and courage of the Israelites to Move On in our own lives and collectively as part of God’s church in Port Orchard. May understand that our sight is limited and we must rely on God and sometimes just "Move On."

3 comments:

  1. This story may be a great example of where we (the congregation) are today as a group of the God's followers. I have given these passages in Ex 14 a lot of thought lately (because of a sharing from Lila Mason a couple of years ago. )and offer you guys this perspective:

    Picture a time line comparison of the Israelites and our congregation today using the events of Ex 14.

    1. ISRAELITES
    Ex13:19-20 After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
    1. POCOC
    We are Here Now! God has been leading this church for over 100 years in this place. The love of the Lord has been shared with many believers and non-believers. Lives have been touched and saints have been added to God’s army. A lot of forward progress has been made.

    2. ISRAELITES
    Ex 14:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea.
    2. POCOC
    God tells us to go to the water and wait. Listen for his will.

    3. ISRAELITES
    Ex 14:10-12 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. 11 They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
    3. POCOC
    We don’t wait well. We struggle to hear God’s voice and to perceive his will and for his direction. Maybe we even think that it is us, I, me, my abilities that should be accomplishing God’s mission… RIGHT NOW! Not in God’s timing with God’s power. So, we grumble, complain and become discouraged. We “cry out”.

    4. ISRAELITES
    Ex 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
    4. POCOC
    The Elders and some lay leaders are asking the members to be patient with the PMC process and continue to seek God’s will for us in relationship to his mission here on earth. We need to just be still and listen!

    5. ISRAELITES
    Ex 14:31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
    5. POCOC
    In the future, when we look back in time we realize that it is not by our doing, in our timeline, but in God’s time and by his power that he will reveal Himself to us. He fights the battle, not us!
    Our trust in God is renewed as we marvel in God's awesome power and love or us. It is then that we will re-focus on God’s mission and his will for our participation in it in this place.

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