In Exodus 14, God parted the Red Sea in order for the children of Israel to cross over. A renowned story that most everyone knows, but today I want to take a closer look. Verse 8 tells us that they went out with “boldness”. After all, they had just witnessed God’s mighty power when He sent the plagues to the Egyptians. At the same time they experienced His abundant mercy as He protected them from each plague, but their boldness quickly turned to fear when they find that the Egyptians are chasing them.

Aren’t we a lot like that today? One day we’re on top of the world – as Christians, we are loving Jesus and life is running smoothly. Then a hardship comes our way. (We are living in a fallen world; we are not promised an easy life.). We begin to look at the problem through our human eyes, forgetting who is really in control.

The story continues with God using this time to show His love and power. Verse 13 says, “…Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord…” Verse 14 says, “The Lord will fight for you…” He is still the same God. He is telling us the same thing today:

“Do not be afraid…Stand still…He will fight for you…”

Let’s not forget the next, most famous part of the story. God not only parts the sea and lets the multitude of Israelites cross on dry land, He also stands guard between them and the Egyptians. Verse 19-20 tells us, “The Angel of God…moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.” We can trust God to lead us and to protect us even in our darkest days.

We all know how this story ends. The children of Israel are saved and the Egyptians are killed. The last verse in this chapter tells us, “So the Lord saved Israel…; so the people feared and believed in the Lord.” It’s a wonderful story that reminds us of God’s might and power along with His love and grace for His children. It is also a reminder that often our most difficult days are the very ones that can be used for His glory to draw others to Him and remind us that He is still in charge. We just need to stand still and trust in Him.