Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Exodus 14 before reading the devotional below.
The Israelites look confused, and that’s God’s plan right now. Once again, his plans are not a straight line to the next destination. Rather, to further his story of victory, he sets a trap for the Egyptians. They felt pretty burned by the Israelites’ defiant raised fists on the way out of town, and Pharaoh is second-guessing his decision to let them go. The Israelites understandably freak out when they see the Egyptians in hot pursuit.
Moses, the model of tranquility for the people, freaks out to God. He cries out for answers after assuring the people that God will come through. Perhaps this reflects an inner conflict and identity crisis for Moses — he has gained a confidence through this process but he is also very aware of his need for God’s leadership. It’s not a bad place to be spiritually. God tells Moses that he needs to focus on leading and let God show up when he needs to show up. “Get moving!” is God’s reply. And of course, the sea is parted and the rest is history.
Here’s your freedom for today: you don’t have to wonder if God will show up. You just have to keep moving. Do the thing he told you to do. Until you get another direction, keep using the last one he gave you. If it seems like time is of the essence, trust that God will show up in the right moment. Most of the time, we feel like God needs to show up a lot sooner than he actually needs to show up. His timing is not our timing. Trust that he is deeply involved in every moment of your life and will come through with the most amazing victory story you’ve ever seen.