by Sandy Kirby Quandt

Re-reading the story of Moses and the Isrealites fleeing Egypt got me to thinking how much I love the way events in the Bible apply to us today.

If you’ve read this blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably noticed I like to use different translations and versions of the Bible in my posts. I like to read familiar passages in different translations to see things in a new light.

This past week I used the Living Bible Translation to read the passage from Exodus 14 that tells how Pharaoh chased the Israelites after he told them they could leave Egypt. I hee-hawed myself at the wording of God’s response to Moses and the people when he told them to cross the Red Sea.

What made the passage so funny to me is the fact God could have been telling me the exact same thing, in the exact same words. Maybe he’s saying the same thing to you, too.

Just to refresh our memory on the story, Moses is leading between two and three million people out of Egypt. They see the Egyptians speeding toward them. Those Hebrews at the back of the pack may have been the most fearful.

Although they were miraculously spared when the Death Angel passed over the homes of all Egypt, and killed the first born of every family not covered by the blood of the sacrificial lamb, they still weren’t completely sold on this deliverance business. They were fearful. They cried out to the Lord for help. They whined against Moses.

The people wanted to know why they’d been brought to the desert to die. Weren’t there enough graves in Egypt? They told Moses to leave them alone. It was all Moses’ fault.

Like any good leader, Moses told the people not to be afraid. He told them to stand still and watch what God would do. The Lord would do all the fighting for them.

Now again, if you’re amid the ones closest to the rapidly advancing Egyptian army, standing still may not be your first plan of action.

Here comes the part that had me laughing and looking at myself when I re-read this scripture:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!”

Quit your praying, and get yourself moving.

God had a plan to save the Hebrews, but if they didn’t get their feet moving toward that Red Sea they weren’t going to make it across on dry land. God most definitely would do his part and save his people, but they had to do their part as well. They had to get moving.

Perhaps like me, you are in a place where you need to get yourself moving. You’ve prayed, and you’ll keep praying. God hears, and he’ll keep hearing. He’ll do his part, but we have to do our part.

Forward, march!

Where do you need to step out and move your feet?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Leave a comment below. If you think others would appreciate reading this please share it through the social media buttons.

 As the Egyptian army approached, the people of Israel saw them far in the distance, speeding after them, and they were terribly frightened and cried out to the Lord to help them.

And they turned against Moses, whining, “Have you brought us out here to die in the desert because there were not enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Isn’t this what we told you, while we were slaves, to leave us alone? We said it would be better to be slaves to the Egyptians than dead in the wilderness.”

 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch, and you will see the wonderful way the Lord will rescue you today. The Egyptians you are looking at—you will never see them again. The Lord will fight for you, and you won’t need to lift a finger!”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march! Use your rod—hold it out over the water, and the sea will open up a path before you, and all the people of Israel shall walk through on dry ground! Exodus 14:10-16 (TLB)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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