WHEN THEY LEFT EGYPT.

Recently I have found myself hooked by the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt. Being freed from slavery and oppression they left a messy scene to travel towards the place that God had promised them. As a reader we are so often shocked to see how many times they complained, moaned and at times asked to go back?

Knowing the story it is shocking to us that they would even consider going back.

So why is it so often as humans we have the same thoughts of wanting to go back to those place, going back to an abusive relationship, going back to a job that you hate or moving back to the town that made you sad, the list is endless. What part of those places draws us back in? Is it security? Is in a sense of panic for a hazy future? Fear?

But here God paints a beautiful picture for us thousands of years later as the Israelites step towards an ocean that is blocking their path, enemies behind them and the unknown in front of them. Although being filled with promise and restoration, the 'known' behind them began to trump the fear of what lies ahead, they are blinded by the need to belong, feel secure in the place that they knew so well.

Exodus 14: 12-14

'They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to God. They told Moses, “Weren’t the graves large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? Back in Egypt didn’t we tell you this would happen? Didn’t we tell you, ‘Leave us alone here in Egypt—we’re better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.’”

Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today.

God will fight the battle for you.'

So what does God do? God splits the sea in half so they can walk though? I don't know about you but I'm not sure how excited I would have been to step into the ocean bed- waves crashing either side of me being held up by an invisible presence. But that's the very beauty of it- I believe God so often takes us to the edge where life seems impossible, a challenge seems to great and the only choice we have to trust him.

He literally split open the sea so they could walk right though it.

The faith it must have taken to step out down on that ground. The faith it must have taken to believe that God wouldn't fail. The faith to believe that God actually knows what he is doing. All glory to him for the paths he gives us- streams in the deserts and paths though the seas.