Be Still and Go?

Five years ago, as we stood by watching our boy as he lay unresponsive in the ICU, not knowing what the outcome would be, we spent many hours in prayer. Each morning I would open my Bible and read out loud with Garren, his motionless body being kept alive by machines and bags of medicine. One day as I was reading through Exodus, I came across Exodus 14. It's the account of the Israelites being led by Moses out of Egypt into the wilderness. After leaving Egypt, the people came to what seemed to be the end of their journey - the Red Sea. There was no where to go! They were trapped, and the Egyptian army was closing in on them quickly! You can imagine how confused and terrified Moses must have been. After all, it was God who had led them to this point, and it all seemed to be ending rather unexpectedly.

In the midst of his terror Moses cried out to God, and God's response is found in verse 14 "The Lord will fight for you, you have only to be still." What an amazing promise and reminder that God is in control. It's God's fight! We have only to trust Him - to be still and know that He is God - He will fight for us!"

I've rested many times in the promise of that verse over the past 5 years. But this year, as I read that verse, as if reading it for the first time verse 15 jumped out at me. The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward."

I understand that God is sovereign, that He is in absolute control of everything. He leads us where He needs us, and we are to trust His ways. God's plan is always better than our plans. But in this verse we are confronted with yet another truth. It is not a contradiction, but a completion of our relationship with our God. "Go forward." God says to you and to me "Be still, I will fight for you. But you must do your part as well. Go forward." This may seem like a contradiction, but it's not! While God is in absolute control, you and I are given a responsibility to do our part, to go forward in the way that God is leading.

What is your struggle right now? What are you dealing with? First, commit that situation to God. He is in control, the battle is His, and He will fight for you. Then go forward. What are you responsible for in the midst of this situation? What should you be doing in partnership with God as you struggle through your current circumstances?