Saturday, July 9, 2011
Read: Exodus 15
Praise the Lord! The Lord has done great things for us. Take a moment to think about it.
Now, if you will, imagine an army. Rows upon rows of warriors clad in armor, waiving their swords, hoisting their spears, charging their horses; they are coming towards you. Now listen to the clatter of metal, the horse hoofs and chariot wheels, the battle cries. They are coming… faster and faster. You have women and children to protect—and no one is getting away fast enough and the army just keeps charging. Your doom is sealed.
Woosh! You are caught off guard by a noise similar to a waterfall. You risk a backward glance. Back there, where the army used to be, you catch the last signs of two tidal waves colliding. For a moment, as the water settles, there is no human noise, only water. Every eye is wide and mouth is open. Slowly, what is left of the army starts to appear on the surface. A few bodies float to the surface among pieces of wood.
Finally, everyone breathes and after three cheers for Yahweh, people start to relax. You are in shock. You’ve just seen an army—that was minutes away from murdering you, your family, and your nation—wiped out just before your eyes. That will take a couple years to get over! Some have tears rolling down their cheeks, still getting over the fact that they are still alive. Some are laughing and starting to crack a few jokes-like “That was a close one!” and “The grandkids ain’t gonna believe this one!” No one really knows what to do but then the faint sound of music moves through the crowd and grows louder.
You can’t hear the words quite yet, but soon you begin to catch the tune. Someone next to you pulls out a makeshift drum and your sister skips away to join a few dancers. Soon you begin to catch a few phrases.
Praise to the Lord! It feels right in this amazing and sacred moment. You close your eyes and listen. “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed…” (v.1).
Be encouraged—the battle is the Lord’s, and so is the victory. Still, the battle He wins is for you. Your part is to praise; your role in the story, your move in the dance. Read it again, or any one of the psalms, and see who He is. Sing your song of His goodness, and never let it die. Then see Him smile and watch Him continue to fight for you—He will always be faithful.
Process:
Having you seen God’s victory in your life? (perhaps not in this manner, although it would be nice to see two giant walls of water..) How have you celebrated victory in the battle? Take some time to thank God about the victories he has already given you.
Also, consider praising God straight–non-stop–for a whole day (under your breath, in words, in song, in shouting, etc.)
Saturday. July 9, 2011 continued…
Read: Exodus 16
God’s chosen people have been rescued from an abusive and cruel ruling authority…and they’re hungry.
“Grumble, grumble, grumble”… “Ta-da!!! Food!”… “Grumble, grumble”… “Ta-da! Meat” … “Grumble, grumble” “ENOUGH!!! THAT’S IT!!!! You’re on bread and water for forty years!”
Seriously, though, the Israelites grumbled! At first they even complained they would’ve preferred death (v.3)! Sound stupid? Well, they thought they were dying of starvation. Seeing the truth of their slavery in Egypt was difficult because their perspective was twisted by hunger.
Have you ever looked back on a situation as “not as bad as I thought it was at the time” We look back at the Israelites, craving “choice meats” they enjoyed in slavery and think that’s pretty stupid…right? Can you remember “pre-salvation you” or your “non-saved alter-ego” and thought about “choice meats?” Maybe you’ve watched other Christian friends enjoy delights that God has “taken” from you and gotten a little bitter. Its hard to forget certain relationships, possessions, a little “freedom” with words, a bit of slothfulness…
Do we crave the choice meats we enjoyed in slavery? Sure we do. And God takes the time to listen to our complaints. Check out verse 9. Catch the second half? “…for He has heard your grumbling.” God listens… to our grumbling!
But God wants to train us to “take every thought captive,” subjecting them to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). However, sometimes “capturing” can take a while when the enemy puts on the guise of logic and reason.
Our God loves us. God disciplines those he loves. Don’t be afraid that God won’t listen when you feel like you’re venting. He will. And he will also provide you with what you need. Maybe it’s not what you want, but it will be exactly what he wants for you.
Process:
Are there areas you feel God wants you to talk to him about? Pray. Then ask God to reveal himself. He understands.