Daily Devotions based the Sermon from January 3, 2021
Full Sunday message: CONTEMPORARY or TRADITIONAL
THIS WEEK: Be Still…and Get a Move On!
The closest I’ve come to walking through water on dry land is walking through a clear aquarium tunnel as the fish (and sharks) swam all around us. While safe inside, I will admit there was a tinge of nervousness as to what would happen if the Plexiglas would break while inside.
I would have been more nervous if there was no Plexiglas and was told to walk through the water.
But that’s what God told his people to do…Get a move on!…through the water!
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. (Exodus 14:15-16)
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. (Exodus 14:21-22)
What would you be thinking as you stepped into the pathway with your family with the water to your left and right realizing nothing was holding it back but the power of God.
Each step was a step forward in confidence that the power of the Lord was strong enough to hold back the waters. The deeper it got…the more confidence you needed. As you stepped on the shore safely on the other side and watched the waters crash in over the Egyptian army, one might have thought, “That could have been me if it weren’t for the power of God fighting for me.”
Even the powerful Egyptian army realized they were powerless before the Lord.
23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. (Exodus 14:23-28)
God opened the way before them and defeated the opposition pursuing them. He was willing to display his power to carry out his promises and give them confidence to move on!
When they all were safe on the other side, Moses and the people sang a song of praise (Good read in Exodus 15):
13 “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:13)
God doesn’t promise us the same display of his power, but his power is ready to be displayed to carry out his promises. He wants to lead us to an eternity in his holy dwelling.
I don’t know what seas or armies you will face in your life, but God has one desire for us to be with him in his holy dwelling, heaven. He has his power ready to be displayed to carry out this promise to you.
So…in 2021, get a move on … moving forward confident of the Lord’s power – no matter how deep the waters get or how powerful the pursuit!
Apply: Resolve today to move forward with confidence in the Lord’s power. The path forward may seem challenging, but the Lord is able to remove the obstacles and bring an end to the opposition.
Prayer: Lord, display your power in my life. Help me to realize my weakness and rely all the more on your strength as I go through the days of 2021. Amen.