Today’s Headline: PK opens Bible and sees something with fresh eyes
I’m sitting in a coffee shop…scratch that…my FAVORITE coffee shop. I’m working through a sermon on freedom and have landed squarely in the middle of the Exodus story. You should know that Moses is my Bible crush so this is my go-to story any time I can use it. I’ve read this story HUNDREDS of times. Hell…I’ve preached, taught, or written from this story dozens of times over the last 20 years.
We pick up our story in the wilderness near the Red Sea. The Israelites have been on the move…getting the hell out of Egypt as fast as they can. Pharaoh has changed his mind and has been in pursuit for a while. As he catches up to them, the Israelites have reached the shores of the Red Sea.
Picture it…Red Sea in front of you. Pharaoh and his Army behind you. You’ve got no boats. You’ve got no weapons. You may have 2 1/2 MILLION people but well over half of those are babies, children, and old people. Your choices seem to be death and death.
And then this…
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. (Exodus 14:13-14)
JUST STAND STILL AND WATCH!
Uh…have you seen this infant I’m holding?
You did notice that I’m a grandma in a wheelchair right Moses?
I’m 6 years old and my feet are bleeding from the last days of walking. At least standing still will be an easier way to die.
JUST STAND STILL AND WATCH!!!
What sort of advice is that?!?!?!
And yet…
I need a little standing still and watching time. I need to give The Divine some room to move things around on my behalf. I need to not view my life only in terms of Death and Death. To be clear I’m not actually facing a physical death or death situation…at least not that I know of…but I am certainly at a cross roads where all I can see is failure or failure…one unwanted circumstance verses another unwanted circumstance…financially broken or emotionally broken…death and death.
JUST STAND STILL AND WATCH!
Here’s how it went for the Israelites:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”
JUST STAND STILL AND WATCH…oh and also GET MOVING!
I couldn’t love that more!
So today I will both STAND STILL AND WATCH and also GET MOVING!
Because it is a beautiful thing to watch The Divine work in our movement.