August 29th, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Wind and Waves Obey

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Opening Prayer

Lord God, I thank You for Your faithfulness. It enables me to move into today with confidence and trust.

Read Exodus 14:19-31

[19] Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, [20] coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. [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. [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 jammed the wheels of their chariots 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. [29] But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. [30] That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. [31] And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you …When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (Isa. 43:2). This is a great promise to hold on to.

Think Further

In this great story of redemption we find striking echoes of the creation in Genesis 1. There God creates order out of chaos on earth by separating light from darkness and water from dry land (Gen. 1:4,10). Here God is creating his covenant people. Having drawn the enemy forces to his chosen battleground, he now makes a separation by cloud and angelic presence. Darkness and confusion reign on one side of the boundary. Natural moonlight and the divine pillar of fire allow those on the other side to see Moses stretching out his hand towards the sea. The noise of wind blowing back the water would muffle the sound of footsteps moving across the drying seabed. The feelings of the people towards Moses (31) are reminiscent of the terrified disciples of Jesus exclaiming, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him” (Mark 4:41). But each timid step they take forward gives them greater reason to trust the Lord and his appointed leader to bring them safely through.

While the crossing is still underway, danger closes in again. The “last watch of the night” (24), when energy is particularly low, would be a strategic moment for the Egyptians to attack. Emerging from the cloud they see their prey disappearing along the causeway. Water prevents them from circling to attack from the side or the front. As they roll along to the rear, chariots start to pile up in clogging mud like traffic at a modern motorway accident. At daybreak water sweeps back over the scene. Those who have crossed safely can see a tragedy spread out behind them.

“Our ancestors,” reflects Paul, “were all … baptized into Moses” (1 Cor. 10:1,2). The parallels with baptism remind us that when people are converted and become publicly identified as Christ’s people, this new creation can trigger dangerous conflicts. It may leave behind damage that we cannot repair.

Apply

What is the one “pursuing army” you fear in your life right now? In what ways might this passage help you to trust God with your fears?

Closing prayer

Father, the assurance that nothing can ever separate me from Your love has seen me through tough times. Infuse me with strength to face future troubles.

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