10 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. 11 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? 12 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.” 13 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. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Exodus 14:10-14 ESV
Fear is a natural reaction when we are facing great danger. I could feel my shaky feet and pounding heart if I were among the Israelites and seeing the armies of Pharaoh drawing near. I can also picture myself rehearsing all the possible and impossible ways to escape if there was still time for me to think. Didn’t God just deliver us from the land of Egypt? But why is He trapping us here now at the wilderness with Pharaohs armies on one side, and the Red Sea on the other? What are you doing, Lord? Just when we thought God saved us from one crisis, we found ourselves getting stuck in another trial. When one side of the roof is fixed, the other side starts to leak. Like the Israelites, we would be afraid, we would cry for help, and we would complain. But among the anxious Israelites, there was one who remained calm. That was Moses. Moses said to the people,
Fear not.
At this point, Moses may not had no idea how God would help them, but he trusted that God would certainly help. He may not have known what God was doing, but he had faith that God will do something – “The Lord will fight for you”. (v14) He also told the people to
Stand firm.
That is to stop, be still, and be silent. Didn’t we hear Jesus say it to calm the stormy sea of Galilee, and He also said that to calm the storm in our hearts?
Quoting this from Enduring Words Bible commentary – “Despair will cast you down, keeping you from standing. Fear will tell you to retreat. Impatience will tell you to do something now. Presumption will tell you to jump into the Red Sea before it is parted. Yet as God told Israel He often tells us to simply stand still and hold our peace as He reveals His plan.”. That is right! We may go through all kinds of emotions in difficult times. But we may only find His power and see what He is doing in quietness and trust. The reason why we are stumbling over one problem after another, perhaps it is because He is still at work? “See the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today”. To people, the edge of the Red Sea is the dead end, but to God, it’s only the beginning of His amazing work.
Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.
Keep calm, be still, and know that He is God.
Dear Lord, praise you for your mighty hands! When I thought I’m stuck and don’t see a way out, you will provide a way for me. Some times I may be afraid, and I will complain. Thank you for allowing me to do that, and at the same time, comforting me and reassuring me with your presence and words. Help me find peace and quietness in you.
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