Between a rock and a hard place

So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, "Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. – Exodus 14.9-15

They were stuck. Truly stuck. As the people of Israel left Egypt Pharaoh changed his mind and sent his army out to bring them back.

The people were camped at the Red Sea. If we have our locations right they were camped between two mountain ranges. And the army was coming up behind them. There was no place to go. There was no way out. It looked like they were doomed. What could they do?

Of course, they did what we all do when there is no answer – they panicked. They started to complain to Moses ‘why did you bring us out here? We would have been better to be slaves in Egypt than to die here in the desert.’

So them Moses went to God. ‘What are we going to do?’

And God, as He does, answered.

Don’t be afraid

Stand still

See the salvation of the Lord

I think we all come to times in our lives when we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. We don’t know what we are going to do. We don’t see any answers. We can’t see the solution. I think about things in my own life that leave me just as befuddled as the Hebrews were. We need to learn the lessons of the Red Sea – don’t be afraid because fear is not of God, stand still instead of rushing forward in our own wisdom, and finally, watch God do a perfect work because His way is always best.