HOLDING
your peace. Keeping silent. Biting your tongue. Shutting up. Sometimes that’s
all you have to do to have peace, and become a spectator to God’s power and
salvation.
EVER HAVE A RED SEA EVENT?
Today we’re going to revisit a very
popular, well-known story. Even if you’re not a Bible geek, you’ll know this
one. It’s all about the Israelites, way back when they’re leaving Egypt after
having been slaves for 400 hundred years. And even though I didn’t plan it this
way, it is SO appropriate that this post come out today since Passover begins
tonight! (Isn’t it just amazing the way God orchestrates these things!)
Anyway, the events happen just after
Passover has occurred, when firstborn sons in Egypt were struck down by the
angel of death. But those who applied the blood of the lamb to their doorposts
and lintels were passed over from the destruction; their sons were protected
because they identified with and took refuge in Jehovah.
The Israelites were vacating the
land and life where they’d been brick-making slaves. Life had been horrid.
They’d been crying out to God for years, and He has heard them and saved them.
They’ve pilfered Egypt for spoils and are on their way to the Promised Land.
Only God takes them to the Red Sea, and that’s where their “problem” begins. At
least they see it as a problem.
Pharaoh changes his mind about
allowing them to leave, and he decides to pursue them with all of the horses,
chariots, and warriors he can round up. He and his army take off after the
Israelites as they walk through the desert. As the Israelites arrive at the Red
Sea, they see, and undoubtedly hear, the pounding hoof beats of the pursuing
Egyptians. The Israelites are terrified. And when you’re terrified, what do you
usually do?
Well, maybe you do what the
Israelites did. They started complaining at the top of their lungs about their
predicament. And the first person they laid blame to was Moses, who had led
them down this path. (Actually, they forgot who did the actual leading.) Instantly,
they lose all faith in Moses and start accusing him of dragging them out there
to die. They start remembering the brick making and slavery as “the good old
days” and tell Moses that it was better being a slave in Egypt than to die in
the wilderness.
MYOPIC MEMORIES
We think we have short memories
today. The Israelites didn’t seem to be much better. They act as though they
didn’t have any choice in the matter, that Moses dragged them kicking and
screaming into the wilderness. And they had just witnessed God perform ten
mighty miracles through plagues that ripped across the land, killing livestock,
poisoning the Egyptians’ main water source, and making life miserable and physically
painful. And then the final blow—the death of the firstborn sons. Their
memories are very short, indeed.
FEAR overwhelmed them and drove them to complaining. They were so afraid and so
angry with God and Moses that they forgot what God had just done for them—set
them free—and the miracles He’d just performed. Like He was suddenly put out of
the miracle-making business and couldn’t follow this thing through to do what
He promised them He’d do.
SWITCHING YOUR THINKING, AND RESPONSE
So what does Moses do? He tells them
not to be afraid, to stand still, be quiet, and pull themselves together! And
then watch what God’s going to accomplish for them. How He’s going to fight for
them. Which means make the Egyptians disappear so they can go on their merry
way, without worry, to the Promised Land. Moses wants them to switch their
thinking from fear and worry to looking for and expecting the “great salvation
God is about to work for you.”
BEEN THERE?
Have you ever been in a situation
like that, where fear overcomes you to a point that all you can do is yell,
argue, agitate, point fingers at someone, and act like all is lost? Does your
fear lead you to:
~ Complain
bitterly?
~ Point fingers
at someone and blame them for your predicament?
~ Think about
making a mental about-face and changing your mind about going forward and
returning to the old, familiar life or behavior, even if it’s awful?
Or does your
fear lead you to:
~ Pray and trust
in God, await His response, and actually expect Him to move mightily on your
behalf?
STEPS TO OVERCOMING FEAR AND GAINING
PEACE
When fear
strikes, there are steps we can take to overcome:
First, we need, as the Apostle Paul says, take every thought
captive to the Lord Jesus Christ. He writes that in a passage where he’s
talking about spiritual warfare, so
make no mistake about it. This is a
war for our minds and hearts. And war demands extreme defense and offensive
measures, calculated—and practiced—responses. Give the thoughts to your
Commander. Send that Urgent! memo to Him and let Him take care of them, and
then resist with every ounce of energy you have against grabbing them back from
Him.
Second, call to memory all of the promises God has made and
fulfilled throughout the ages in the lives of His people, in your friends and
family’s lives, in your life. Remind yourself of His faithfulness, His love for
you, His desire for you to have a hope and purpose. His desire to do you good
and not harm.
Third, turn your worry actions into prayer activity that includes
thankfulness. Thank God for what He’s going to do on your behalf and expect
great things from Him! It’s hard to worry about something when you’re being
thankful, and prayer has a way of diffusing fear and agitation. It gives you
the security that you are not alone and that Someone is listening. And praying
aloud can tell your brain to take its thoughts another direction. That alone
can change the entire chemical and physical reaction to the stressor. To not
make God puny or human-sized. He’s BIG and GREAT and POWERFUL and LOVING!
Fourth, contact a good prayer warrior friend to join you in the
emotional battle. Have them go to bat for you or with you. As Solomon puts it
in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “It’s better to have a partner than go it alone…. By yourself
you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a
third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped” (The Message).
If you don’t have that kind of
friend handy, contact a Christian ministry that offers prayer support. Guideposts has a big prayer ministry. See
their website or Facebook page. Food for
the Poor takes prayer requests. Just look on a ministry’s website to see if
they ask how they can pray for you. Ask around to see if anyone you know is on
a prayer chain. I’m on a couple of email prayer chains, one of which is global.
It’s a pleasure and honor to pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ, most
of whom I have never met. Call a local church, or show up and ask someone to
pray for you. Ask if they have Stephen Ministers who are trained to walk with
you through issues. Look for a local chaplain group. They’re ready and willing
to pray with you!
And what’s another important thing
to remember?
Sometimes we just need to get out of
our own way and let the Lord work on our behalf!
_______________________________________
May God bless you mightily this most
holy of weeks!
Have a blessed Resurrection Day!
Until next week,
Andrea
May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your
soul prospers (3 John 2).
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