Trusting God In Adversity
BRD RFLECTIONS:
Exodus 13-14 and Psalm 61 (NIV)
(Lee Lee Fang, CiC Facilitator)
READ:
Exodus 13 records God’s command to the Israelites to commemorate the day He brought them out of Egypt by consecrating their firstborn to Himself. Exodus 14 records the Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea.
The following verses stood out for me:
Exodus 13:20-22
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Exodus 14:10-15
…the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? …
Moses: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.
OBSERVE:
By this point, the Israelites had witnessed God’s power through the ten plagues before fleeing Egypt.They had also experienced His presence in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (13:20-22).
Yet, the sight of the Egyptians marching after them terrified them.Their immediate response was to vehemently blame Moses, who had just helped them escape from Pharaoh’s grip.
Despite their recriminations and the pursuing Egyptians, Moses demonstrated trust in God, telling the Israelites to stand firm and be still.
I learned that:
1. God keeps His promise: He is loving, powerful and protective of His people. This is seen in how He delivered the Israelites out of Egypt by His omnipotent power and continued to lovingly guide them with His reassuring presence in the pillars of cloud and fire.
2. Moses could trust in God in the face of adversity because he communed with God and had a personal relationship with Him.
3. Instead of fretting in the face of blame and unsettling circumstances, I can know God’s character and not rely only on His signs and wonders for self preservation.
APPLY:
1. God is trustworthy. I must first know His attributes in order to know Him.
2. To know God, I have to be intentional in seeking Him and practising His presence daily. Only then will I have Him with me to keep me calm in the face of adversity.
3. When I have God in me, I will not fret. Instead, I will have rest.
DO:
I will continue to reflect daily on God’s attributes and blessings I will remember who He is and who I am in Him.
Because I am so prone to stray, I will remain within a godly community to help me along as we pursue God together.
I will reflect and examine my shortcomings with other pursuers of God, allowing them to correct me and bring to awareness my shortcomings. Then I can grow to honour God and love His people.
PRAY:
Father God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Give me grace to love You and be teachable, that I may live out Your purposes for me and bless Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
