June, 2007
Learning to Stand
Exodus 14:10-13
INTRODUCTION: Learning when to stand still and when to move forward is one of the greatest challenges for us today. We live in an instant society where we are trained for action--for decision making--especially in the workplace. We are used to solving problems and are not used to sitting idly by and waiting patiently for outcomes. Sometimes we make hasty decisions without giving much thought to the outcomes.
For the Christian there are times that God says to wait until He says go. If we go before he says go, we are likely to make our situation worse. God can’t work in our behalf if we continually try to solve our problems in our own strength. We need His wisdom and discernment. Sometimes standing still is the greatest action we can take although it is probably the most difficult.
There are many things in today’s scripture that we can apply to our lives. Although this event took place somewhere between 1440 and 1290 B. C., it still speaks to us today.
The Israelites had just left 400 years of slavery in Egypt. When Pharoah finally let them go, you would have thought they would have taken the shortest, most direct route out of town, but God had told Moses not to go that way. Had they taken the shortest route through Philistine territory and faced war, they might have headed right back for the slavery of Egypt. Exodus 12:18 says, “So God led the people around by a desert road toward the Red Sea.” Another reason God directed Moses to take this impossible route was to show the Egyptians once more that He is God.
This longer more difficult route was not the way Moses would have gone. Pharoah thought they had become confused and made a mistake in the route because escape seemed impossible. At first the Israelites are marching out boldly. No sweat. Things are going great. Then they saw the Egyptians coming fast and furiously behind them. Verse 9 says, “the Egyptians--all Pharoah’s horses and chariots pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea.”
That threw the Israelites into a panic.
Story: The story is told of a state trooper who pulled a car over on a lonely back road. He said, “Ma’am is there a reason why you’re weaving all over the road?”
The woman replied, “Oh, officer, I’m so glad you’re here! I almost had an accident. I looked up and there was a tree right in front of me. I panicked and turned to the left and there was another tree in front of me. I swerved to the right and there was another tree in front of me!”
Reaching through the side window to the rear view mirror, the officer replied, “Ma’am, that’s your air freshener.”
1. Fear, Panic, and Criticism: The Israelites had a bigger problem than an air freshener. They not only panicked but they began to criticize their leader, Moses. They said, “we told you to leave us along. You brought us out here to die. Weren’t there any graves in Egypt? We would have been better off to stay in the slavery in Egypt.” They not only panicked and had an extreme sense of fear, but they also had a very critical attitude. They blamed the whole mess on Moses.
Do you ever get this way when things are not going right for you? Criticize everybody and everything and this critical spirit blocks your view of God and what He is trying to do. You can’t hear from God when you are fearful, in a panic, and being critical all at the same time. Moses could have replied differently and made matters worse. He didn’t argue with them. He just said, “Fear ye not, stand still and you will see the salvation of the Lord which he will show you today” (Exodus 14:13 KJV).
Stand firm, confident, undismayed--the Amplified Bible
The New Living Translation says, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the Lord rescue you.”
They didn’t need Moses to chew them out or give them a big lecture or a boatload of advice. He knew they were afraid and that they had panicked. He knew they were critical, and he didn’t just give them a pat answer. He is saying, “Stand still until you get your bearings and until you get your nerve up to go on.”
Story: The 747 jetliner taxied down the runway. A voice came over the speaker, “Good morning ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard flight 22. We will be climbing to a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet and will travel at an air speed of 660 miles per hour. Our flight time will be about nine hours. As soon as we are airborne the flight attendants will be serving you breakfast. We will take off…
JUST AS SOON AS I CAN GET UP THE NERVE…
Moses knew that these people had to deal with their fear and panic. He knew that fear stifles faith. He knew that for the moment, at least, they had a lack of trust in God. Their eyes were on their problems and the Egyptians coming after them.
They had to STAND STILL until they could deal with all of this. They had to get all of this confusion out before they could think clearly and hear from God. Their critical spirit was getting in the way of their hearing and seeing what God wanted. As long as they were complaining, they didn’t have the slightest idea of what God wanted.
Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by our problems that we can’t think straight. We may make hasty decisions that would result in disaster for us. That is the time to STAND STILL for awhile. Sometimes people will give you pat answers and tell you what you should do. STAND STILL. Moses didn’t have the plan yet. Sometimes God has a different plan for us. We have to wait before we find out what it is. Moses said, “FEAR NOT…” They might have said, “Yea, that is easy for you to say.”
2. Recognizing the Presence of God: Where do you think Moses’ courage came from? Scripture clearly tells us that he RECOGNIZED THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD among them. He saw the pillar of cloud still right there with them. That was God’s presence. Moses would have probably looked for deliverance to come from every direction except the Red Sea. He didn’t have any advice or pat answers, but he spoke with authority when he said, “Fear Not. Stand Firm. See the salvation of the Lord.” He didn’t know how it was going to work out, but he had already been told before they started out back in Exodus 6:6-7 “Therefore say unto the Israelites, “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.”
The people in their fear and panic had forgotten this. Moses DIDN’T FORGET the promises. Sometimes we find ourselves caught up in a problem and see no possible way out. Don’t panic. God can open up a way.
Paul says in II Corinthians 4:8, “We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
They had the Egyptians behind them--the Red Sea in front of them, craggy mountains on one side and Migdol and Baalzephone forts on the other side. It looked as if there was no way out. God would have to bring the rescue. You might be in an impossible situation right now--fearful, critical, ready to be destroyed--a real basket case.
Expect God to show up. Can you believe that you are not going to drown? That you are not going to die? That you are not going to go under?
3. Get Moving: God did not expect them to stand there forever. Verse 15 tells us that new orders are coming in. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.’” Sometimes you have to do more than pray. Once they knew what they had to do, they couldn’t stand there any longer. They had to move toward the sea. Don’t turn to the left or the right--Go forward directly toward the sea.
The Lord told Moses to stop praying and get moving. Prayer has a vital part but there is a place for action. Sometimes we know what to do but we continue praying for MORE GUIDANCE as an excuse to postpone doing what we already know to do.
I know I should start going to church
I know I should quit sinning and start being a better example to my family
I know I should get saved
I know I should prepare for this ministry..
If you know what to do--then it is time to GET MOVING.
They began to move forward--older people--young--all ages. They traveled at night. It was not a full moon. It was 7 days after the full moon. There was the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. The pillar moved BEHIND them as a barrier between them and the Egyptians. They knew they were headed toward the sea. They might have said, “Yikes, what are we going to do when we get there!”
Once they got to the sea and Moses raised the staff out over the water, Moses and Aaron stepped into the water. A way opened up. They didn’t have to go at breakneck speed to get across. Some of the older people couldn’t walk very fast. God made the way and held it open long enough for them to get across. They didn’t have to go at breakneck speed.
Story: Keith was driving home from a fishing trip in northern Michigan one summer with his boat in tow and he had engine trouble a few miles from Lake Huron. He didn’t have a CB in his car or his cell phone so he decided to use the Marine radio in his boat to get help. Climbing into his boat, he broadcast his call letters to the Coast Guard and asked for help.
A Coast Guard officer responded, “Please give us your location.”
“I’m on I-75 two miles south of Standish.”
The officer paused, “Could you repeat that?”
“I-75 two miles south of Standish.”
A longer pause. Then an incredulous voice asked, “How fast were you going when you hit shore?”
The overconfident Egyptians who had followed the Israelites into the water became confused and their chariot wheels fell off. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get out of here. The Lord is fighting for them.” But it was too late. The wall of water that had been held up for hours for the Israelites now flowed back over the Egyptians. Scripture says that “when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared (reverenced) the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.”
CONCLUSIION: Today the Lord can make a way where there is no way for you. How have you experienced God through the Red Seas of your life? How have you grown as a result of your Red Sea experiences? What is the most troubling situation in your life right now?
Remember: 1. STAND STILL and deal with the fear, panic, and critical spirit.
2. RECOGNIZE God’s Presence
3. MOVE on when God gives the orders
LET US PRAY:
