Between a Rock and a Hard Place

When Pharaoh changed his mind about letting the Israelites leave Egypt, he sent his best chariots and soldiers after them. The Israelites could see them coming in the distance when they saw the dust clouds on the horizon.

Put yourself in the Israelites shoes for a moment, most of them weren't soldiers and they were certainly not prepared to go to fight. Terrified parents grabbing their children and not knowing if the small children they were holding in their arms would make it to be old.

The Israelites were , to use an old cliche, between a rock and a hard place. Pharaoh's army was behind them and the Red Sea was in front of them . The people cried out to Moses in Exodus 14 and asked him if he had brought them their to die!

In verse 13 and 14 of Exodus 14, Moses declares to the people:

"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

The people of Israel were saying to Moses what we often say when we are faced with crises in our lives - "Where is God in all of this?"

Our uncertain times raise that question - where is God in all of this war, recession, job losses?

Moses' word from the Lord holds true today. The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still. The Lord calls us to be still and know that He is God and that we don't have to be afraid of the future.

When we choose to stand firm and not be afraid, God will deliver us. He may not do things in our time frame, but He will do what He promised to do even thousands of years ago for us today.

The Israelites saw the deliverance of the Lord when He caused the Red Sea to swallow up the Egyptian army!

When you feel like you are between a rock and a hard place, remember what the Bible says in Psalms 46:10:

Be still and know that I am God.