We can trust God because He has proven Himself faithful not only by parting the Red Sea, but also by redemption through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
The parting of the Red Sea is a story in Exodus 14 that many people hear in Sunday School or even outside church walls. However, not many people associate the parting of the Red Sea with their adult life; it seems grownups leave this miracle tucked away in a child's picture Bible. Despite the parting of the Red Sea being overlooked in modern-day times, there are several truths we can learn from this groundbreaking miracle:
1. God Can Be Trusted
Often, we can be guilty of not trusting God. Rather than trusting God, we tend to worry, fret, and panic. The parting of the Red Sea reminds us God can be trusted (Debbie McDaniel, “9 Powerful Reminders from the Miracle at the Red Sea,” Crosswalk, 2017). The Lord divinely protected the Israelites from the Egyptians by day and by night. Pharaoh and his army were on the heels of the Israelites and by all practical means; they were going to overpower the Israelites and recapture them. Despite the odds, the Israelites escaped the clutches of Pharaoh and his Egyptian army because of God's gracious plan.
When we read this account of the parting of the Red Sea, we often forget that God did the impossible and protected the Israelites by giving them dry land to cross. No mere person could make a dry path in the midst of the Red Sea as it was done by the mighty hand of God. Since God did this amazing feat for Israel, why is it so difficult for us to trust Him with the troubles of our lives? This is something I often ask myself.
Instead of giving in to the constant worry in our heads, we need to dive deep into the love of God and simply trust Him. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God knows every single problem, worry, and anxious thought in our hearts and He yearns to relieve us of this burden. He wants to shower us with His love, peace, and comfort. We can trust God because He has proven Himself faithful not only by parting the Red Sea, but also by redemption through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. If we can trust God with the salvation of our souls, we can definitely trust Him in our everyday lives. Trust God and lean on Him. He will never fail you. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
2. Focus on God, Not the Problem
A second truth we can learn from God parting the Red Sea is that we need to focus on God and not our problems (Debbie McDaniel, “9 Powerful Reminders from the Miracle at the Red Sea,” Crosswalk, 2017). The Israelites were afraid of Pharaoh and the Egyptian army storming behind them, but they did not need to be ruled by fear because they had Someone the Egyptians didn’t—God.
Sadly, the Israelites created a historical habit of doubting God and grumbling against Him and Moses, yet God did not punish them, but rather, He parted the Red Sea and delivered His chosen people despite their sin (Debbie McDaniel, “9 Powerful Reminders from the Miracle at the Red Sea,” Crosswalk, 2017). Instead of focusing on the problem (Pharaoh and his army), the Israelites needed to focus on God. In the same way, we need to focus on God and not on our problems.
In our present-day, hectic lives, it can be hard not to obsess over our problems, but the Lord does not want this for His children. Anxiety, stress, and worries need to be given over to the Lord (Philippians 4:6-7). God will give us peace if we ask Him and keep our hearts and minds fixated on Him. We need to always keep our eyes focused on Jesus as Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Keep your focus on God—not your problems. Give all of your problems, worries, and concerns to Jesus. Ask Him to give you peace and He will. It might not come over you all at once, but His comfort is found in spending time with Him and reflecting on His Word. No matter what your problem is, God is bigger. Since God is the Creator of everything and has ultimate rule, nothing is too hard for Him. Focus on God and leave your problems in the rearview.
3. We Are Never Alone
A third modern-day truth we learn from the parting of the Red Sea is that we are never alone (Debbie McDaniel, “9 Powerful Reminders from the Miracle at the Red Sea,” Crosswalk, 2017). Just as God did not leave the Israelites alone in their fleeing from Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, God will never leave us alone. The Lord promises to be with us every step of the way. Whether we are on the highest mountain or are traveling through the darkest valley, the Lord guides us (Psalm 23). He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This is a huge comfort in the modern-day, especially amidst the pandemic where we are forced to self-isolate for the safety of others and ourselves. Even when we think we are alone, we are not. Whether we are walking down the street or we are sitting alone in a room, the Holy Spirit consumes the space around us. This can bring great comfort to your soul and give you peace.
In fact, the Lord never leaves us as He promises to always be with us (Isaiah 41:10). We can overlook this truth while reading the account of the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus because all we see is that God parts the Red Sea for Israel. We do not equate God doing the same for us because Israel was His chosen people. However, as believers in Christ, we are now all chosen and dearly loved by God. Even though we may not need to be saved from an Egyptian army, there are plenty of other things God can “part” and rescue us from in our daily lives. He can forgive our past, guide our present, and seal our future.
Turn to Him and ask for His help. He delights to help His children and give us rest and peace.
The parting of the Red Sea is a major turning point in the Bible during Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Without God’s provision, the Israelites would have been recaptured, reenslaved, or even killed by Pharaoh and his army. Thankfully, the Israelites were not alone because God was with them. He protected them and gave them safe passage by parting the Red Sea. In the same way, God can help us “part” our own Red Sea in our lives and give us relief from our troubles. It is my hope that these three modern-day truths will help remind you of God’s faithfulness the next time you read Exodus 14 or face your own Red Sea.
Photo Credit: ©Tim Mahoney
