Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
February 17, 2023
Read Exodus 14:19-31
19 God’s messenger, who had been in front of Israel’s camp, moved and went behind them. The column of cloud moved from the front and took its place behind them. 20 It stood between Egypt’s camp and Israel’s camp. The cloud remained there, and when darkness fell it lit up the night. They didn’t come near each other all night. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD pushed the sea back by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. The waters were split into two. 22 The Israelites walked into the sea on dry ground. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians chased them and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry. 24 As morning approached, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian camp from the column of lightning and cloud and threw the Egyptian camp into a panic. 25 The LORD jammed their chariot wheels so that they wouldn’t turn easily. The Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites, because 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 water comes back and covers the Egyptians, their chariots, and their cavalry.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. At daybreak, the sea returned to its normal depth. The Egyptians were driving toward it, and the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the cavalry, Pharaoh’s entire army that had followed them into the sea. Not one of them remained. 29 The Israelites, however, walked on dry ground through the sea. The waters formed a wall for them on their right hand and on their left. 30 The LORD rescued Israel from the Egyptians that day. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the amazing power of the LORD against the Egyptians. The people were in awe of the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Good Morning, God will lead us through!
Along our faith journey, we will face obstacles. Some are small, but others are huge. Most of us are able to traverse the bumpy roads that appear before us. However, it is easy to be overwhelmed or lose faith when those mammoth boulders appear and block our path.
In the five-year-old compartment of my brain, I’m suddenly chanting, we’re going on a bear hunt . . . can’t go over it, can’t go around it, gotta go through it. Whether we must swim, climb, or cautiously walk, God is with us to lead us through. When I have doubts, I remember Matthew 19:26, Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
I have noticed that it is much easier to believe and have faith when things are good, or maybe even when we have minor bumps. At those times we can see the road before us and we can prepare for minor detours. Our bigger challenge is when our view is totally blocked and we can’t see the next step. This is when we need to lean most heavily on God and rely on our faith, but in those moments we falter or even fall.
I’m reminded of a beautiful poem, “Footprints in the Sand”. The final section provides us with a great image upon which to cling in our most desperate times.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
Loving God, Thank You for being with us. You bless us and provide for us. You promise to be with us always. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: When I don’t know how I will get through, God makes a way.
God will see us through! Pastor Liz