Tammy on Tuesday »

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Philippians 4:6-7 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I have a cool story.  

PINIMAGEA little over three weeks ago, while vacationing with my family, I was climbing on a jetski to take it for a ride on the lake at our cabin. Lake Kawbawgam is full of lilypads and seaweed, but I’ve played in it since childhood.  

I reached up to grab my favorite reading glasses from the top of my head. Noticing they weren’t there, I reached for my shirt, where I often hang them. Not there either. What happened to my favorite glasses? I was just wearing them! Wouldn’t I noticed if they fell into the water?  But that was the only possibility.  I was wearing them on the dock.

I asked the others to look for them as I headed out on the lake. Surely it wouldn’t be a big deal to grab them from the shallow water. The sun was high, and once the water settled, they would easily see them.  

After a turn or two around the lake, I realized I needed to go look for those glasses myself. I mean, they are my favorite pair. And, I couldn’t just buy another pair. I’d already tried months ago. They no longer make them.

Arriving back at shore, I relinquished the jetski to one of the kids, and I started searching. I looked and looked. Then I grabbed a rake from the shed. I combed and looked. Others joined me. But we came up with nothing. It takes a lot to get me to give up, but I did. At least for the time being. 

Each day I would wait for the sun to be high above the water and go down to the dock and retrace my steps. If only the sun would catch one of the lenses and signal me to their whereabouts. I even tried different times of the day to catch a different angle. Nothing.

My mom always taught me, with things big and small, to take my burden to the Lord. So I have learned to do that with everything—even silly reading glasses.

“Lord, it would be nothing for You to lead me to my readers. Please help me find them.”  

I looked and found nothing.

The next day, I returned home from a day trip with the family and saw my sweet mom down at the dock. She decided to take up the search. I walked into the cabin, and my dad said, “Your mom has been combing for those glasses for you for a while now. She’s determined to find them.”

Several days passed and several storms blew through. I imagined that even if we were to find those glasses, surely the sand, sticks, and shells would have scratched the lenses. Was it worth it to keep looking?

I decided to let them go.

But my mom didn’t. We returned home to Delaware, but my parents were planning to stay at the cabin for several more weeks. Without me knowing, together, they continued to search for those glasses.  

PINIMAGEFast forward to yesterday. I walked into the church office and was handed a box. It was from my mom. Inside, was a lot of bubble wrap and some french burnt peanuts. My parents know I like those.  

I pulled out the bag of peanuts, and the rest of the box seemed empty. I thought, “Well, it’s kind of them to send me candy, but it wasn’t necessary to go through all that trouble.” I felt through the bubble wrap and realized there was one more thing in there.  

Wouldn’t you know it!? It was my readers! 

With them a note: 

Dear Tammy, I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers!! Right after you left for home, Dad & I went down to the lake – Dad using a rake and me wading in the water with no luck.

The other day the neighbor, Nate, brought his 12 yr. old son and his friend down to the lake to take them fishing in his boat.

Dad was down at the dock talking to them, and Nate’s son looked down and said he saw “sunglasses” in the water – They were your glasses (on the right side of the dock) with no damage after all that time!

We were so thankful they were found.

Love you & miss you, Mom

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A huge knot formed in my throat. I examined the glasses. Not a scratch on them. In fact, they looked better than when they fell in the lake!!! How is that possible?!? Three weeks. No rust. No scratches.  

I couldn’t shake the urge to cry as I shared my story with others in the office.  Why would God care about something so unimportant?

Then it struck me. He cared about the glasses because He cared about me.

I had looked for those glasses hard and long and finally let it go.

My mom and dad looked hard and long. Came up with nothing.  

We gave up the search, and God intervened.  

You might be saying, “Tammy, we’ve got way bigger things going on over here than silly glasses!”

That’s precisely my point. If our Sovereign God cares to return glasses to His daughter at her request, won’t He indeed work in the greater things of life?  FRIEND, YES, YES HE WILL!

Pondering the whole ordeal, I came away with some profound truths.

• I searched desperately for my glasses for a while and finally gave up.

Sometimes when we are waiting on God to work, He’s waiting for us to give up.

• My parents, because they love me so much, were determined to return my glasses to me.

When in a trial, others cannot bear the burden that is meant for God to carry. 

If you are trying to shoulder the burden of a loved one and find it’s crushing you. Maybe you were never meant to carry it.  

• Often, when we’ve given up, and it seems all is lost, God moves in. My parents and I had given up over the search for the glasses.

There’s a difference between giving up and giving over. We knew that God COULD do what we asked and we TRUSTED Him no matter the outcome.  We left the whole matter with Him.

• The glasses were returned to me three weeks later.

God works on His own time frame and His plan often involves waiting.  When waiting is part of the story we tend to give more glory to God when the answer is revealed.  God doesn’t toy with us.  His timing IS PERFECT.

Friend, take a good look at the trial you face. Are you determined to fix it yourself? Are you relying on others to fix it? Are you trying to fix a heartache for a loved one and you have been powerless to do so.  Have you wholly released your circumstances to the Lord and let go?  You can.  Because He’s a God who sees and cares.

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I can promise you, as I type this blog, peering through my long lost readers, He is faithful in the big and little things. And He will not fail you. Give your burden to the Lord and leave it there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I’ve been reading through the Old Testament and asking God, as I do, to shape my thoughts and teach me how I should walk in this world.  As believers, we desperately need to hear the voice of God in our lives and the world around us!  He speaks to us from His Word.

God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Ps. 119:105

I have to be honest, in the several times I have read through the Bible, I have found myself puzzled by some of the passages I read. In fact, I sometimes have had to check my feelings and assumptions at the door and ask God to give me His perspective on things I don’t understand. After all, He is God, and I am not. If I want to know Him, I can do so by humbly getting into His Word and allowing it to shape my life.

One thing that never gets old is reading a passage, and finding something I never saw before.

“How did I miss this?!” 

Today’s blog post comes from just one of those occasions.

The book of Exodus records God’s miraculous plan to rescue the Israelites from the hand of the Egyptians who had been lording over them for over 400 years. Why? Because the Israelites were His chosen people. He desired to set them apart and make them Holy unto Himself. He called them His own, and He promised to “bring them up to a good and broad land.”  Sign me up!

Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10

This passage reminds me of the work of salvation in my life.  

• God saw my affliction under the taskmasters of sin, death, and the enemy. 
• He heard my cry and knew my sufferings – every.single.one.
• I was trapped and helpless.
• Slavery was all I knew.
•  But, He delivered me. 
• And He made me His own.  
• He set me free from slavery to sin and death so that I could walk in freedom with Him.

I still can’t get over it.

Several weeks ago, while reading the passage in Exodus where Israel hurriedly gathers their things to leave, I came upon a part of the story I had never noticed before.  

And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks, and herds. Exodus 12:37-38

Well, this is odd. Who are these people? God was rescuing His people, Israel, from slavery. I never thought about anyone else joining in the exodus. How had I missed this?

We are not told who comprised the mixed multitude. Many interpretations have used a negative connotation calling them “rabble.” But God sent Moses to rescue Israel to come apart and be His people. Is it a big deal that the mixed multitude/rabble went along?  Just this morning, I feel as though I got my answer.

First, let’s recap:

I am now in the book of Numbers. To this point:

1. The Israelites have seen God’s mighty power in parting the Red Sea and other wonderous miracles.
2. They have received His commandments through Moses, and not without some serious hiccups.
3. They have begun to understand what it meant to be God’s people. God desired to commune with them, but preparation/blood sacrifice had to be made. In Leviticus, I pondered all the requirements for blood sacrifice and offerings. They are very detailed and severe. These instructions were not given so that the Israelites could get an audience with an indifferent, aloof God. They were necessary for God in His perfection, to draw near to them and not only give them audience but to dwell with them.  
4. Them…and the rabble.

By this time, a healthy reverence and love for God should be developing among the people. However, we know that they often complained and questioned God. Could the rabble have influenced them?

Let’s look at Numbers 11, where the people complain that they are tired of mana and want meat.

Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh, that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” Numbers 11:4-6

I don’t have time or space here to list all the ways God had been faithful to Israel and revealed Himself as their loving and powerful Father.  He was trustworthy. But…

Complaint arises from the rabble.

What a danger.

I got to thinking. Does rabble accompany me on my walk with the Lord?  

How about you?  

1. Maybe it’s friendships with the ungoldy. (Let me say here. I have unsaved friends, and it is my hope and prayer that they come to know freedom in Christ. I think you know what I mean. When our lives look just like the world and our friendships reflect the world’s behaviors, when we celebrate what grieves God, perhaps we’ve become lost in the rabble.)
2. Maybe it’s friends who “claim Christ” who continuously pull you down and away from Him.
3. Maybe it’s a sinful habit you brought along on the journey.
4. Maybe it’s an idol.
5. Maybe it’s unrepentance.

What’s the rabble in your life? 

So, back to the story. The rabble had this intense craving for meat. They stir up the Israelites, and the people complain loudly.  

Their complaint angers both God and Moses. Later in the chapter, we see it gets so bad that Moses expresses His frustration with God and just wants to die.  

Basically, he’s saying,

“Lord, these are not my people. They are Yours. I can’t give them what they want. I can’t handle this anymore. Just kill me and be done with it.”

I continued through the rest of the chapter, and the short of it is that God DOES give them meat. Quail. He gives them so much that Moses tells them that after just one month, they will be sick of it. 

BUT as they are eating it, God’s anger is kindled, and He strikes many of them down with the quail still in their mouths.  

I was confused. God heard their complaint and gave them meat, but His anger was kindled while they ate it, and He killed them.  That didn’t seem very nice or loving.  Friend, don’t miss this!

While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving.  Numbers 11:33-34

Let’s look deeper so we don’t miss what’s going on here.

Back in Numbers 11:18-20, the Lord says, 

Say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”

Do you see what I see? 

God gives them what they want. But it is to their detriment.  

Verse 20 says, “because you have rejected the Lord.”

While prayerfully pondering the verses, I saw there an opportunity for Israel to repent.  

In verse 18 God says, “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow.” 

The King James Version says, “Consecrate yourselves AGAINST tomorrow.”

In other words, prepare yourselves by true repentance.

They had an opportunity RIGHT THERE to turn from their complaint against God that they had lifted along with the rabble for meat. Moses even warned that God would give them so much of it; it would come “out at your nostrils and become loathsome to you.”   

Wouldn’t you think that would give them a moment of pause?

Wait.  Do I want quail coming out my nostrils?

They did not take the opportunity to seek God’s mercy and repent.

But, influenced by the rabble, they continued on and partook of the provision from their complaint.

The psalmist wrote of this event in Psalm 106:15 – And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

Something profound struck me. When we entertain rabble on our journey, God may give us what we cry out for. Suffering may follow. But His purpose is always redemption for His children.  

Look at what the passage said.

the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. 

Now looking back, what does Numbers 11:4 say,

“The rabble that was among them had a strong craving.”

Who did God remove from the people of Israel? Who did He strike down? 

“there they buried the people who had the craving.” 

Now, I cannot say emphatically that ONLY the rabble craved the meat. The Israelites complained too. But I can say it was the rabble that was described as craving meat.

This story presents a powerful picture of sanctification for the believer.

PINIMAGEI wonder how the journey might have looked differently had Israel not traveled with the rabble. If they were able to seek singlemindedness with God. If they had truly set themselves apart. They were not perfect and would sin, of course. But God Himself charged them, “For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall, therefore, be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:45. He was not counting on their strength to be holy. And boy is that a good thing!  He was inviting their surrender. He would make them holy through His sanctifying work. 

Let’s search our hearts. Let’s sever relationships with the rabble in our lives. God doesn’t want harm to come to His children. Instead, He promises His blessing and presence as we set ourselves apart to Him. 

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We just returned from vacation, and during our time away, we hoped to really take time to connect with Hudson since he will be going off to college next week. Over the two weeks we were away, Hudson enlightened us with some profound thoughts.

HUDSON: “You know. I’ve been thinking…”

ME: “Yeah? about what?” 

HUDSON: “There’s no way time travel exists because if it did, more and more people would be doing it, and they would be here telling us they came from the future. But no one has done that. So there is no such thing as time travel.”

ME: (after a few moments of silence and an effort to hold back laughter), “Wow, when did you come up with that?”

HUDSON: “I don’t know. I was just thinking.”

On another occasion, he blurted out, “I really think the chicken came first. I mean, why would God just create an egg and then have it hatch into a chicken?!”

We all got a good laugh at some things he has said. Granted, Hudson was sharing some trivial passing thoughts with us. But I loved to see how his brain worked. He’s growing into a young man, and I love to watch it. Things I’ve seen developing in my son over the years are that he is:

Witty. I mean, he really makes me laugh.

Brave. He tries things I never would, like jumping from high places.

Thoughtful. He ponders things. 

Sensitive. He feels on deep levels.

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I love my boy, and I love learning new things about him as he grows. Sometimes, I find myself surprised by him. Thinking, “I never knew that about my son!”

I learned new things about each of my kids while away. I was intentional in doing so. And guess what? When you intentionally observe your kids, you see many things that the hurried pace of life obscures.  

When you intentionally observe your kids, you see many things that the hurried pace of life obscures.  

Abby is hilarious and is now not only a daughter, but she’s becoming a friend. What a gift to talk with each other about matters of the heart!

Although one would guess teens are probably reckless and inexperienced on jetskis, I learned that Bianca is a cautious jet ski driver. She was telling me how, when she was out on the water, she was assessing all the things that could go wrong. Watching her drive with extra discretion and care taught me more about the way she thinks in general. Funny what jetski etiquette reveals.

Sophie is my affectionate one. She feels deeply and expresses her love through hugs and cuddling. I also observed true independence and strength from her over our trip. She has a good head on her shoulders.

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I could go on, but I want to turn our thoughts to something even more important than knowing my kids. 

Knowing God.  

I love learning more about Him because He becomes more precious to me as I fill in the gaps of my understanding of Him. Have you ever gotten to know someone and thought it sure would’ve been better to leave things at “hello?” Familiarity often breeds contempt.

It’s not that way with God. To know Him is to love Him. But to really know Him, we must study what His Word tells us about who He is. Otherwise, we serve a god of our making instead of the One True God.

While I was away, each morning, I woke early and headed to the front porch of the cabin overlooking the lake. There I would meet with God without distractions from schedules and the usual demands of my day. Looking out over the water, I praised God for His majesty. I thanked Him for His sovereignty. I basked in His love and faithfulness. But, I feel as though, this time away, God continually impressed on me, more than all the other things about Him, “Tammy, have you meditated on My holiness? I am holy. And I call you to holiness. My name is to be revered in all the earth.”

“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.  Leviticus 19:2b

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What does it mean to be revered?

Reverence: an overwhelming feeling of admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like.

Having the proper fear and reverence for God is foundational to worshiping and obeying Him fully, to knowing Him.

Each morning, I sat pondering, “Do I revere the Lord?”

Yes, I love Him

Yes, I seek Him.

Yes, I want to follow Him.

But do I revere Him?

I searched up the phrase “reverence for God” on GotQuestions.org and jotted some notes. 

“Once we truly know who God is, we reverence Him in our hearts.”

“Familiarity with God will not breed contempt but deeper reverence.” 

I have wrestled through the conviction that I have not revered God and feared Him as He deserves. I have not dealt harshly with my sin. I have been cavalier. I have been grieving a holy God by not seeing my sin as He sees it. While away, I took time to repent of this and ask God to help me understand what it means to revere Him.

Right now, I am studying in the book of Leviticus. What I notice is the repetition of instruction given for sacrifices by the Jewish people to God.  

One morning, Mark walked onto the porch, and I asked, “Why was it necessary to go through each sacrifice word for word when many are, for the most part, the same ritual. Couldn’t the Bible just mention the differences between them?”

Mark responded that when God wanted to emphasize the importance of something in scripture, He repeated it. It was a way of saying, “Take notice!” God made His people aware of what it took for Him to come near to them in His holiness. He wanted them to know just how grave the sin was that separated us from Him. 

Sin led to death unless a sacrifice was offered. God’s holiness demanded payment for sin.

Looks familiar, doesn’t it?  

The Levitical priests made sacrifices because God desired to draw near to His people. This was an ongoing practice due to the nature of sin in us. But through the Gospel, God orchestrated the ultimate sacrifice through Jesus so that sin could no longer separate us from Him but would be paid for in full. 

He made the way in His holy perfection to draw near to sinful man. He loves us that much.

I love knowing God in this way. To truly know God is to revere Him.

• When we revere God, we desire to obey Him above all else, forsaking our sin.
• When we revere God, we gain a greater understanding of the gospel. We’ve been rescued.
• When we revere God, we grow in a loving relationship with Him and share Him with others. Holy God invites us into intimacy with Him. We are adopted as His own.

How do I learn to revere God?

1. Pray. Ask God to reveal the truth of His character to you.
2. Read His Word. Ask questions and seek the answers.
3. Observe Him in all His interactions in scripture. What does the passage tell you about Him?
4. Study Him. See His nature. Grow in awe and love for Him.

How about you? Do you revere God? Do you see Him as more than a friend to offer advice and get you out of life’s jams? A genie in the sky or a white-haired fatherly being somewhere far away? An advisor?

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.  Hebrews 12:28

I am asking God to teach me to revere Him, and He continues to faithfully answer my prayer. The result has brought a new vibrancy and life in my pursuit of Him. Is your relationship with God suffering? Confess it to Him. Seek Him. Ask Him to help you learn of Him. He will reveal Himself to you as well. To know Him is to revere Him.

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In just a few short weeks, we will send our son, Hudson, off to Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky.  

We are excited to see what shape Hudson’s journey will take, where God will lead. But as I consider and dream, I am learning something about God that not only goes for Hudson but all of us.

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For the longest time, I sought the Lord for direction in my life as if God was sending me out. Kind of like we are sending Hudson out.  

 

I wanted to know the best career path.  

I wanted to know who God would have me marry.  

I wanted to know where to settle down.

It’s a great habit to seek the Lord for these things. But looking back, I see a different pattern.  

God has never been leading me to things. He’s been leading me to Himself.  

We journey through life, always towards Him.

Not long ago, I was reading the story of Jacob.  

He was part of God’s great plan to create a great nation.  

I’m not sure Jacob thought much about it until God met him in a dream and told him He would fulfill His promises to Abraham and Isaac through Jacob’s life and those of his descendants.  

 “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:13-15

• Jacob is sent out with a blessing by his father to go and find a Cannanite wife.
• Jacob meets and marries sisters, Rachel and Leah. It’s a long but interesting story you can read about in Genesis 29.
• He is successful in his dealings and accumulates great wealth.
• It sounds like he’s living a pretty good life.

But, then God speaks.

Genesis 35:1-7

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.

I’m intrigued here by the details of the journey, what transpired.

God instructed Jacob to journey back to Bethel – the name Bethel means “house of God.”

Jacob and his household got rid of their idols and foreign gods. In other words,  Jacob repented – turned from his path and way of life, in agreement with God, leaving it all behind.

Then Jacob went. He obeyed God’s instructions and headed out.

On his way, God protected him and all his household. He cleared the path for his journey to Bethel – House of God. 

I’ve been mulling over this in my mind.

Throughout my life, even when I didn’t realize it, God wasn’t rolling out a 5-year plan here and a career path there. He was leading me home. 

Jacob’s experience has been mine.  

All the while that I was begging for purpose and direction, and things. He was giving me Himself.  

So, as we pull away from that campus, not long from now, we will encourage Hudson to journey toward God. We trust fully that God will do the rest.  

How about you, friend?

Maybe God is less interested in giving you a plan and more interested in giving you Himself.

He will instruct.

Will you surrender your way and follow Him?

Will you lay down your idols?  We all have them.  It’s good to do a daily inventory to see if you’re giving your heart to some lesser god. (status, popularity, relationships, money, etc.)

If you will obey and follow, God promises to do the rest. He will lead you home.  

Maybe these words are your invitation to redirect.

We journey in life, not toward a destination or a goal. We journey towards Him.

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Last week I wrote a blog entitled, “From the Pit into the Trial.” 

I asked the question, “Are we willing to have God draw us out of the Pit and lead us into a trial?”

Why would God do that?

Why would we want to follow?

What good could come from a trial?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Today’s post is for those of you who are in the midst of a trial and trying to regain your footing.  

Have you accepted the invitation from God and wondered if He’s forgotten you?

Have you been thinking your trial is going on too long?

Have you been tempted to give up, to complain?

Have you asked the question, “Why God?”

Have you wondered how this difficulty you face could ever turn out okay?

I have.

I was telling a friend the other day about my ongoing struggle,

“When I pray and pour out my complaint to God, I honestly sometimes feel ashamed. God invited me to this opportunity to walk in obedience to a specific work. I know He never fails. I know ALL His works are good. So, when I question the outcome, honestly, I’m questioning Him. That’s not the God I serve. When God walks us through a trial, He is always, ALWAYS doing a redemptive work – not just through us but FOR us. He is never saying, ‘Hey, let’s take a stab at redeeming this situation and see how it turns out. Join me in this. Who knows? It might turn out okay’.”

GOD.NEVER.DOES.THAT.

All it takes is a look back over my life through each dark valley. His light broke through impossible situations, and His glory was revealed. I can say with all my heart, “I wouldn’t trade the trial.”

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Not. A. Single. One.

Trials are a part of life. But trials for the believer are part of God’s work to give us life in abundance.

Tammy, are you telling me that every trial I walk through with God is meant to give me life?  

Jeremiah 29:11 is a familiar passage: For I (God) know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  

ALL – even the trial.

Let’s look at this pattern of grace we can trace through the trial as seen in the story of the Israelites.

Background: God sent Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. After God displayed His glory through ten mighty plagues, they were set free and set off for the wilderness. Whew, glad that’s over. Right?

Let’s pick up in Exodus 14.

If you have the time, please read through the chapter here. I want to point out some signature moves of God.

Exodus 14 –  Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, 7 and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. 16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. 17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. 29 But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. 

 

Let’s trace the pattern of grace through the immense trial in Exodus 14.  This is the same pattern you can look for in your trial.

1. – God orchestrates a plan. v 4a

 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.”

Doesn’t that sound like a great idea? But how did Israel respond?

2 – Israel did as they were told. v 4b

 And they did so.  

So Israels’ part was just to do what He said.

It’s the same for us. When we are in a trial, our only responsibility is to obey. But that’s not all Israel did.

3 – Israel loses sight of God’s plan and complains and fears. v 10-11

When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.  They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?

 4- Moses kept the faith and spoke in faith. v 13-14

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Don’t miss this! What a gift it is when God-seeking, truth-living friends speak into your life in times of despair.  

These friends are a blessing and a gift. Are you that kind of friend?

Moses tells them, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”  Those are some of the most comforting words I’ve ever read from Scripture.  

5 – God continues forward. – v 15 

The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.

Their doubts and fears didn’t thwart His ability, didn’t change His direction. In essence, He said, let’s keep moving. I’m not done yet.

 6 – God’s plan is perfect and complete. v 27b-30 

The Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea.  The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained.  But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 

The LORD saved Israel IN the trial.  

Remember, the passage started with the Israelites grumbling and complaining against God. Let’s look at how Israel responds to God’s rescue.

7 – Israel is filled with awe and they put their faith in the Lord.

God delivered them physically while working a pattern of grace in their hearts.  

The deliverance Israel felt prompted the song to God in chapter 15. (Perhaps you could take time to read it.)

But let’s look at one verse here that describes their joy.

 15:13 says, “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.”

 

We just walked through 7 steps in a pattern of grace through a great trial.

Remember, friend. It’s common to question and wonder,

Since God is perfect, couldn’t He make it so that all trouble would disappear once He welcomes us into His family? Some people seem to buy into this idea because when the trial comes, they become angry at God. But what if that trouble was meant to draw us closer to Him? What if every trial we encounter as God’s children is meant to reveal His love?

What if He is using trials to carry by (His) strength to (His) holy abode.”

Will you trust Him? Commit again to His purposes and believe Him in your trial right now.  

He will fight for you. You need only to be silent.