11 Jan WHO PARTED THE WATERS?
The shakings and storms are not the story right now, but rather, what God is working out. He is taking us into uncharted territory. He is still a powerful deliverer, the God of angel armies who destroys or can save a nation in a day. He still causes bushes to burn, waiting to see if we will turn aside to notice. He still positions Himself as a pillar of cloud between His people and the enemy: giving light to the one but darkness to the other. He still commands leaders to make a path through the sea. In the shaking and storms God is shattering our apathy.
Who parted the waters, was it Moses or God?
And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Ex 14:15,16
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. Ex 14:21
Moses parted the waters in collaboration with God.
God parted the waters in collaboration with Moses.
God brings us into dire circumstances to sharpen our need for Him. There He gives us a vision to infuse us with faith and conviction. “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 ” (Exodus 14:13,14) Moses saw what God was going to do. The circumstances defied him, but he was so convinced, that he declared it to the people. He totally trusted and believed God to save them from Pharaoh and his army.. But, he was looking to God to do it.
It must have been disconcerting to hear the Lord tell him, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. (Ex 14:15,16) Divide the sea? WHO, ME?
God had given Moses a vision of what He was going to do, but He wasn’t going to do it without Moses. Our God! He has chosen, He delights in, and He is bent upon collaboration with us, because He wants a working relationship with us. This is uncharted territory, where heaven invades earth.. “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.”
In collaboration Moses and God would divide the waters to take the people through. As the path opened up to him leading into uncharted territory, Moses summoned the faith God was imparting to him. It was God’s faith in him, drawing him hard to raise his rod and spread his hand over the sea—to be electrified by the wind that began to roar, driving the sea back.
What are we crying out to God to do? What are we confident that He wants to do? Has He given any of us a dream, a vision or a word to indicate what He is doing? Have you come to that moment, when His faith is becoming your own? Have you Him telling you to stop crying out to him—to stretch out your hand—and do what He has given you faith to do ? When He gives you faith for something, He is putting it in your power to do it with Him.
He is looking for those who will collaborate with Him in the miracle He is working out. It is uncharted territory our God is calling us to walk with Him. That night when He awoke me speaking Exodus 14:21 in my mind, He told me to pray that the wind would blow. As I have begun to pray, I’ve been electrified by moms and dads finding the courage to make their stand at school board meetings. I’ve witnessed thousands and thousands of college-aged kids worshipping together, unashamed of the gospel. I’ve seen ministries preaching the truth with unprecedented urgency, emboldening us to not fear the intimidation of our culture. I’m witnessing the proliferation of documentaries telling the truth, combatting the state-sanctioned lies we’ve been told too long. I’ve seen whistleblowers come forth, I’ve seen the exposure of crimes previously hidden. I’ve been sickened by the necessary revelation of child trafficking. And I’ve had my hopes raised by a very few brave politicians risking the ire of the establishment to change our course.
The wind is blowing. And I think I’ve had a glimpse of what our God is working out.
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