series: #
verse: Exodus 14:1-14 #
Context: #
The Israelites had just fled Egypt through the leadership of Moses, but they are being chased down by Pharaoh and his guards. The situation turns for the worst when the Israelites find themselves pinned against the coast of the Red Sea.
Prelude: #
PJ’s son (roy) spilled water while eating at dinner. It’s been a recurring pattern at home and at day care. PJ felt that no matter how many times he told Roy to, “be careful”, that he would never learn. And this time, PJ blew up and yelled at his son. The pastor’s frustration had built up and led to a reaction. How often do we as humans react first before thinking? It’s a natural tendency for us.
Main Idea: #
Just be still in times of crisis and trust that God will take care of you.
How do we tend to react in crisis? #
People rewrite reality in times of crisis. Take the story for example: the Israelites are so afraid of death that they start coping and conjuring up their own excuses such as, “We never wanted to leave Egypt”. People also always serve someone or something, and it’s often themselves. Think about losing your social status as a leader or as someone popular. You will strive to maintain the status quo. There’s an unending cycle of outdoing yourself in an attempt to prove yourself worthy of your own character. It’s like a hamster inside of a wheel. But why do we willingly run on this wheel? Because it’s familiar to us and we think upending it would destroy our character.
What we must do instead of reacting #
To resist the noise when danger comes. Instead of panicing and reacting, our response should be to drown out the noise internally and externally. By responding to the event, we don’t give into the fear and stay grounded in our faith in God that everything will work out. Stop blaming others. Stop trying to fix everything yourself. Stop trying to control your own destiny. You will be stuck, and you will be powerless. But in these moments, it’s so critical that we remain silent and be at peace with God.
Why does being silent work better? #
It sets us up to not just receive, but acknowledge, God’s provisions. We are surrendering to God that he has got us and will take care of everything. It’s not just a comfort, it’s a covenantial promise. Life will be painful, uncomfortable, and difficult. We will always be susceptible to hurt and confusion. But our soul will always be in peace because of have a never-failing God. We need to remind ourselves in these moments to stop reacting, and to just remain silent.