Today I wanted to focus on a spiritual battle that perhaps many of us adults who are parents or leaders in children’s ministry may be fighting. It can be an incredible understatement to say the times in which we are living are difficult. Most of us are facing personal challenges in one way or another. The thing is, it’s almost impossible to effectively teach our kids to trust God, when we are caught frequently displaying outward signs of fear and anxiety. Kids see that sort of thing. I say this because I have lived it first-hand. I’m guilty of sometimes not living out, in peace, the trust which I so boldly teach.
Lately I’ve been spending some time in the Book of Exodus, and I found myself completely intrigued with Exodus 14. This is the part where Moses has led the Israelites out of Egypt, and God instructs him to lead the people away from Canaan and toward the Red Sea. This action would cause Pharaoh (whose heart it says God had re-hardened) to think that the Israelites were confused and simply wandering around, lost. As Pharaoh’s army cased after the children of Israel, it appeared quite clearly that God’s chosen people were doomed. In fact they cried out to the Lord and to Moses that it would have been better for them to remain slaves in Egypt than die in the desert!
Moses remained faithful to the vision that God had placed in him, and he encouraged his people by telling them, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)
The Israelites were not faithful in believing that the same God who had seen them through so many obstacles could be trusted once more. They doubted the Lord and feared He had abandoned them!
We know how the story goes…and of course God had a plan already in place. It wasn’t evident at the moment He asked them to change directions. It wasn’t evident until the very last moment. But God was faithful.
Can you relate to the Israelites’ doubt during this time? I can. Are you wandering around today, feeling stressed about the uncertainty of life? Have you forgotten that God has a plan to bless you? Have you really given it to Him and just… let it go?
If you’re fighting a battle on your own, and feeling emotionally, spiritually or even physically exhausted, remember that God has promised to take care of whatever is causing you anxiety, worry or fear. Find rest in the arms of our Lord. He is waiting there to rescue you!
In the battles you are facing, what do you need the Lord to do for you? Use the phrases I’ve listed below to fill in this statement:
THE LORD WILL _______________________FOR ME. I NEED ONLY BE STILL.
*provide peace
*make things happen
*take care of my situation
*provide His strength
*fight my battle
*take care of my worries
*watch after my family
*resolve this problem
You can follow Lisa on twitter @lisastrnad and she blogs regularly at talkinglikeagirl.
