God Is Your Salvation in the Battles You Face
By Jessica Van Roekel
“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2 NIV)
I needed help and I needed it yesterday. But the days kept stretching out, one after the other, never changing, always the same. I struggled through a fog of doubt and disbelief. I clung to faith by my fingertips, knowing that rejecting God would make life darker than my present. I was desperate for God’s light to shine, but what I really needed was saving.
After my third child was born, the Enemy whispered that God didn’t care about my struggles. The taunts came as I struggled with resentment at the time my three little ones under the age of five demanded from my sleep-deprived self. The whispers became especially loud when I responded with impatience or, worse, a raised voice. I felt the Enemy closing in, but before me lay an impossible sea of overwhelm.
Moses and the Israelites faced a similar problem. After years of slavery, God sent Moses as their deliverer. Through a series of devastating plagues, Pharoah finally relented and let them go. The Egyptian people gave the Israelites gold, silver, and clothing on their way out of town. The Lord led them the long way because he knew if they crossed through the Philistines' country, they might change their minds about their freedom because they were not ready for war. Instead, he brought them to the sea. And their enemy came up behind them.
As the Israelites left Egypt, they were armed for battle (Exodus 13:18) and marched boldly (Exodus 14:8), but when they saw their freedom threatened by the sea and the enemy, they were terrified. They accused Moses of bringing them to the desert to die. Their bold hope evaporated at the first sign of struggle. Cries of doubt rang through the camp. They couldn’t see beyond their impossible to God’s salvation.
I couldn’t see God’s salvation either while taking care of the needs of my three littles when my own emotional storm threatened to overtake me. It was day after day of opening my Bible and reading the words, desperate for encouragement, but it was like the words slipped off my heart instead of sticking. Week after week I got my babies ready for church and sat through worship and teaching, wondering when I would sense the Lord nearby. But one day, on a regular, mundane, messy morning, I opened my Bible, and God’s Word pierced my heart like a pinprick of light in the darkness. My impossible sea of overwhelm parted before me and I began walking through to the other side.
The Lord saved the Israelites that day. As Moses stretched his hand over the sea, the Lord drove the sea back with a strong wind and the Israelites walked across the sea on dry ground. But first, they needed to be still, to stop fretting that the Lord had abandoned them. Moses instructed the Israelites to not be afraid, to stand firm, and to see the Lord save them.
What impossible situation are you facing today?
You might be hemmed in by disappointment and loss. Rejection could be dodging your every step. Maybe it’s a behavior or thought pattern that keeps you spinning like a merry-go-round. The troubles facing you seem too great, but God is greater, and he is mighty to save. You could be doing all the right things like the Israelites did when they walked boldly dressed for war and still be quaking on the inside when faced with odds not in your favor. God longs to be your salvation.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Take a page out of the Israelites' book and be still. Stand strong and do not fear. We stand strong when we choose to believe in God’s ability in the face of challenging circumstances. We still our hearts by refusing to let worry rule our responses. We choose trust over fear. It helps to remember God’s faithfulness. If he does not give up on his unruly, undisciplined, uncommitted people, the Israelites, then he will not give up on you. Keep trusting him. Keep following him. Lean into his loving-kindness and watch him become your salvation. In him, you will find the strength and courage to face your impossible because he can do the impossible, like part a sea and make a safe passage for you.
Further reading:
- Exodus 13:17-14:22
- 9 Powerful Reminders from the Red Sea Miracle
- A Prayer to Remember God’s Faithfulness
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Gordon Images
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