Doug Lansky was a travel writer and photographer for many years during which he has collected photos of odd signs from around the world. Here are some samples:
Here is a blue sign with white letters. It reads: “Pakistan-Narcotics Control Board Investigating Unit.” Notice what’s in front of the sign almost obscuring it—a big bunch of marijuana.
Then there’s this yellow diamond-shaped sign from Mill Valley, California. It says, “Not a Through Street,” but right below it is a blue circle with a white arrow pointing straight ahead with the words, “Evacuation Route.” I sure hope I don’t have to leave this place in a hurry.
Look at this white highway sign in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. It says, “Entrance Only / Do Not Enter.” Now what do I do?
How about these two signs in Loleta, California: “No Parking” & “Park Here.” I wonder: should I stay or should I go?
This one is interesting. A sign in South Lake Tahoe says, “Be Prepared to Stop.” But look at the sign right beyond it: “No Stopping Anytime.”
And finally, at a railroad crossing in Melbourne is this sign: “Emergency Exit.” It’s pointing straight up! I guess if all else fails, heaven is always an option (Doug Lansky, www.Signspotting.com).
A lot of people are looking for signs to guide them through life, but those signs can be very confusing. Do I stay or go? Do I enter this path or not? Is there a way out if I get in trouble? There are a lot of questions for which there are no easy answers. So what do you do when you don’t know what to do? How do you make the right choices? How do you choose what’s best among many options?
It was a predicament the Israelites faced after 430 years of slavery in Egypt. For 430 years they had slave-drivers telling them what to do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Then all of a sudden, in one night, the Israelites were free from Egyptian bondage. And all of a sudden, they had to make decisions for themselves. For the first time in 430 years, they had choices, but choices can be overwhelming to a people not used to making choices. What is the best choice? Which way do I go? & How do I decide?
Are these the kind of questions you have? Then I invite you to turn with me to Exodus 13, Exodus 13, where we find out what to do when you don’t know what to do.
Exodus 13:17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle (ESV).
They may have gone out of Egypt “equipped for battle,” but God knew they were not ready for war. The shortest route to the Promised Land was the military road of the Egyptians, along the Mediterranean Sea, but that was heavily guarded by Egyptian soldiers. Furthermore, the shortest route took them through Philistine territory, but the Philistines were very warlike, and they would not have hesitated to go to war to keep the Israelites out. Israel might have left Egypt feeling strong and mighty, but God knew better, so He led them in the way He knew was best for them—a longer and more difficult way through the desert.
Exodus 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here” (ESV).
Joseph had told them this nearly 400 years previously! But it’s a promise they never forgot, passed down over 40 generations from one generation to another.
Exodus 13:20-22 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people (ESV).
God guided them all the way with a pillar of cloud during the day that turned into a pillar of fire at night. All Israel had to do was follow His lead.
Exodus 14:1-4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” And they did so (ESV).
The Israelites simply followed God. They simply went where He went even though the way was longer, harder, and more confusing. There were times when God actually led them backwards, but they followed anyway.
And let me tell you. That’s the best thing for you to do, as well. When life is confusing (and even when it’s not), your best choice is always to do what Israel did and simply…
FOLLOW GOD.
Go where God leads even though the way is longer. Stay with the Lord even though the way is harder. Listen to Him even though the way is confusing. God knows what’s best for you and He will NEVER lead you astray, so follow God wherever He leads.
Carolyn Arends, a Canadian Christian musician, author, and speaker, talks about touring as an opening act for Rich Mullins years ago. She said:
I loved overhearing conversations at the autograph table; they often turned serious and urgent.
More than once, a fan asked Rich how to discern the will of God. Rich would listen and then offer an unexpected perspective. He’d say, “I don’t think finding God’s plan for you has to be complicated. God’s will is that you love him with all your heart and soul and mind, and also that you love your neighbor as yourself. Get busy with that, and then, if God wants you to do something unusual, he’ll take care of it. Say, for example, he wants you to go to Egypt.” Rich would pause for a moment before flashing his trademark grin. “If that’s the case, he’ll provide 11 jealous brothers, and they’ll sell you into slavery.”
Carolyn Arends goes on to say, “When I find myself wrestling with life decisions, I think of Rich’s Egypt Principle. It makes me laugh, and then it asks me to get down to the serious business of determining which of my options allow me to best love God and other people” (Carolyn Arends, “Consolation Prize,” CT magazine, June, 2013, p. 64; www.PreachingToday.com).
God’s will is very clear—love Him and your neighbor. In everything else, trust Him to lead you by jealous brothers, burning bushes, or pillars of fire to the places He wants you to go. You see, God still leads His people today. Oh, He may not do it with a pillar of fire anymore, but He leads them through the principles of His Word. He leads them through the advice and council of godly people. He leads them through that still small voice He puts in their hearts.
And even though the way is sometimes long and hard, perhaps even confusing at times, God never leads you astray. All you have to do is stay close to Him. What do you do when you don’t know what to do? 1st, follow God. Then 2nd…
BELIEVE GOD.
Rely on the Lord. Depend on your Heavenly Father to bring you through. That’s what the Israelites learned to do after a very big scare. Look at what happened to them.
Exodus 14:5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” (ESV)
They had lost 2 to 3 million slaves! And in an economy dependent on slavery, such a loss was devastating—worse than a 50% drop in the stock market.
Exodus 14:6-9 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon (ESV).
Now, God had Pharaoh and the Egyptian army right where He wanted them, but from Israel’s perspective God’s people were trapped! With a mountain to the north, with a mountain to the south, with the sea to the east, and the Egyptian army bearing down on them from the west through that pass, they had nowhere to go!
Exodus 14:10-12 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (ESV).
Now, isn’t that typical of God’s people sometimes? When they find themselves in a tough spot, they cry out in fear and blame the preacher. So what does the preacher have to say about all this?
Exodus 14:13-14 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (ESV),
I love the imperatives in these verses: Fear not. Stand firm. See. & Be silent. That’s the advice Moses gave Israel, and that’s still good advice for you today when you feel trapped with nowhere else to go. Don’t be afraid; just believe in the Lord. Don’t be frantic; just stand firm in Him. Don’t complain; just be silent and still. Then you will see God do amazing things on your behalf.
In Psalm 46, God simply tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
The problem is very few people have learned how to “be still.” Instead, they frantically race here and there thinking it all depends on them, but they end up only making things worse. Wouldn’t it be much better just to rest in the Lord and watch Him work?
Marian Liautaud started a business in 2002. She prayed diligently about the decision and sensed God's confirmation to move forward. She was inexperienced in retail operations, so she depended heavily on God for wisdom and direction. She prayed every step of the way between the time she caught a vision for the venture until the day she opened her doors.
On opening day, customers lined up around the building. Her heart pounded and her palms were sweaty when she became acutely aware that the success or failure of this business rested on her, or so she thought. And for the next four years, she ran the store as if this were true.
Instead of praying for God's wisdom or listening to the counsel of trusted advisors, including her own husband Dan, she relied on her own understanding. She said, “I simply was too busy and preoccupied to spend time reading my Bible. And when I did make time, I found myself re-reading the same passage over and over and never grasping the words.” Daily preoccupation over her work took the place of daily quiet time with God, and all that had a snowball effect which eventually led to the demise of her business four years later and nearly her marriage.
Looking back on those four years, Marian Liautaud says, “I know now what was at play: apart from Christ, I could do nothing. Instead of remaining in Jesus, as he instructs us to do in John 15:5, I ran on ahead without him” (Marian V. Liautaud, “Remain in Me,” Christianity Today's Kyria blog, 12-22-09; www.Preaching Today.com).
She stopped depending on the Lord. She thought it was all up to her and things went downhill from there.
Please, don’t you make the same mistake. Carve out some time every day to be still before the Lord, carve out some time to read His Word and pray. Carve out some time to quiet your heart before Him. Then, and only then, will you see Him do some amazing things in your life. Don’t depend on yourself; depend on the Lord!
Pegi Tehan of Dayton, Ohio, decided one day to take her three children to an ice skating party in a nearby town. But after several wrong turns and stops to ask directions, she pulled over to the side of the road and suggested they all ask God to help them find the rink. When they finally arrived, they were nearly an hour late. The following week, as they got into the car to go skating again, her five-year-old son exclaimed, “Mom, let's pray now and save time!” (Pegi Tehan, Dayton, OH, “Heart to Heart,” Today's Christian Woman; www.PreachingToday.com)
I couldn’t have said it better myself: Let’s pray now and save time! Don’t tell me, “I don’t have the time to pray.” Because I’ll tell you, “You don’t have the time NOT to pray.” Quit running around, and get on your knees before God. Be still in His presence. Then see the deliverance He brings to you starting today!
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? 1st, follow God even if the way is long and hard. 2nd, believe God, not yourself. And 3rd…
WALK WITH GOD in the direction He tells you to go.
Take that step of faith and do what God is telling you to do. After you have stood by faith, walk by faith in the path God opens up before you. That’s what Israel did.
Exodus 14:15-20 The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.” Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night (ESV).
The Lord, who was their Guide, now became their Guardian.
Exodus 14:21-22 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left (ESV).
God made a way, and Israel walked through on dry ground. He not only sent the wind, but as you can see from the picture, God led them to the only place where there was actually a land bridge just a few feet below the surface of the water.
Exodus 14:23-24 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic… (ESV).
The morning watch was sometime between 3 and 6 a.m., the darkest time before the dawn. R. Alan Cole says it was traditionally the time for attack when men’s spirits are at their lowest. And that’s the time God chose to attack the Egyptians.
Exodus 14:25-28 [The LORD threw the Egyptian forces into a panic], logging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the LORD threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained (ESV).
Divers have actually gone down into the sea at this sight and photographed the remains of ancient Egyptian chariots. As God had said, all Egypt now knew that Israel’s God was the LORD, more powerful than any god or man in Egypt itself.
Exodus 14:29-31 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses (ESV).
Israel also learned that their God was the LORD, and they put their trust in Him and in the man, He had chosen to lead them.
What a miracle! But none of it would have happened had they not taken that first step of faith. And that’s what you must do if you want to see God work on your behalf. Take that step of faith and do what God is telling you to do. Speak to that friend about the Lord. Go on that missions trip. Give more than you would dare to give. I don’t know what God is telling you to do; but whatever it is, just do it! He’ll take care of the obstacles. He’ll take care of the enemies, and He’ll see you through.
Stand by faith, and then step by faith in the direction God is calling you to go.
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became pro baseball's first black player when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers. But there's an amazing story of faith and courage behind Robinson's entry into baseball.
Branch Rickey was the Dodger's baseball executive who eventually signed Jackie Robinson. Rickey’s pastor was Wendell Fifield from the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in Brooklyn. The church had a history of working with the “underground railroad” to help free slaves. So while Rickey was trying to decide if he should sign Jackie Robinson, he paid a visit to Rev. Fifield. He barged into the pastor's study and told Fifield, “Don't let me interrupt. I just want to be here. Do you mind?”
The two men passed the time without words. The pastor continued his work and Rickey energetically paced the floor, stopping occasionally to look out the pastor's window. For forty-five minutes he continued pacing, pausing, pacing, and then pausing. Finally, Rickey broke the silence by pounding his fist on the pastor's desk as he shouted, “I've got it!”
“Got what, Branch?” pastor Wendell Fifield asked.
That’s when Rickey finally relaxed on a chair and told his pastor, “This was so complex, fraught with so many pitfalls but filled with so much good, if it was right, that I just had to work it out in this room with you. I had to talk to God about it and be sure what he wanted me to do. I hope you don't mind.”
Then he said, “Wendell, I've decided to sign Jackie Robinson.” After which Rickey straightened his bow tie, put on his hat, and left the room. A well-known journalist warned Rickey that “all hell would break loose” when Robinson took the field, but Rickey quietly countered, “I believe all heaven will rejoice” (Jamie Crawford, How church helped sign Jackie Robinson to Brooklyn Dodgers, CNN, 4-14-11; www.Preaching Today.com).
After you have waited on the Lord, then it’s time to walk with the Lord in the direction He leads. Like Rickey did, straighten your tie (so to speak), put on your hat, and go do what God told you to do.
When life gets complicated, make it simple. Just follow God, believe God, and walk with God in the direction He leads.
I close with this prayer from Sir Paul Reeves: God, grant me to be silent before you – that I may hear you; at rest in you – that you may work in me; open to you – that you may enter; empty before you – that you may fill me. Let me be still and know you are my God. Amen (Sir Paul Reeves in a prayer at the WCC Seventh Assembly in Canberra, Australia, Christianity Today, Vol. 35, no. 11; www.PreachingToday.com).
