Day 8: Exodus 11-19

PSP (Past Is Past)

                    In the last wave of the 90 days of challenge, I have been so disgusted by the way the Israelites were thinking and doing despite all the miracle God has been giving them every day in their journey, but then I thought, isn’t this a common mindset? See, Jesus has already saved us from our sins in the past and lets us experience His grace everyday but why is it that many Christians still turn their back from the church and their ministry? It is because of the hardships brought by this journey. But if we are going to broaden even more our way of thinking things through, we can see how naïve and ridiculously childish our minds can be. How can we turn our back to a beautiful future the Lord has already in stored for us? How can we go back to our dark past when we can just face these obstacles along with God?

Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, “Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians”? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert.

-        Exodus 14:12

                    Because as human beings, we get to be so imperfect that we tend to be selfish and insensitive before the Lord. There are times in our lives when we get to glorify ourselves and other things other than God. Thus, what happens in the end is unavoidable. We still turn to our past even when God gives us a brighter future. But of course this is not an excuse. Our incapability and imperfections can never be an excused. Why? Because God sent His Son, Jesus Christ in this world not just to save us from our sins but also to be our model on how we must live as disciples. So what did God tell us to do?

1.      TRUST GOD

Moses answered the people “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.

-        Exodus 14:13

A lot of obstacles may come our way during our lifetime as disciples. There will be temptations, there will be oppressions by this world but at the end of the line, we must always know in heart that the whole time, the Lord will deliver us to our own promise land.

He will help us be accepted by those people who reject our invitations.

He will give us hope even when this world rejects us.

He will accept us even when this world abandons us.

He will help us grow even when this world stops us.

He will protect us when the whole world is after us.

As the scripture says, “Anyone who trusts him will never be put to shame.”

-        Romans 10:11

2.    BE STILL

The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.

-        Exodus 14:14

We tend to be so anxious and panic most of the time when we are in trouble. Thing is, worry ends when faith begins. As a cell leader handling many young people in my group, every time I enter into slump in my personal life, I always tend to lose hope in my cell like I overwhelm my heart too much with my problems as turn away for some time from my responsibilities to these young girls. But that act alone is very much like an insult to God, not only that I didn’t trust Him, I also left out the responsibility He has entrusted to me.

God puts us in such a place, in such a situation which He knows we can handle, where such situation can mold us into becoming the better versions of our selves. And the best part of the whole battle that we are taking with the Lord is that, while we are working for Him, He fights for us. He never lets anything that brings us pain not be a part of our growth. He’d never contaminate our training as His children. Everything happens for a reason. Thus, any schemes of the enemy cannot affect us anymore because the Lord who created us protects us with His grace. That alone is our only and strongest weapon. Thus, we literally have no right to be afraid.

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba , Father.”

-        Romans 8:15

3.    MOVE ON

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

-        Exodus 14:15

Note to self:

Carry on with what you’re doing with God. This ministry, this responsibility, this truth that God has given you is all you have for you to live a life of righteousness. There’s no point of going back and being a slave again. God created you to be free. And in truth there is freedom. Thus, you can never deviate yourself from it. Live as if you past is buried down to the deepest oceans where you can’t find it. Learn from your past but never live in it. Remember, you were made a new in the presence of God. And if you continue on this great work, unlike Moses who only had a glimpse of the promise land because of self righteousness, you will have your promise land as long as you trust in Him and go on with this journey. God loves you, thus, carry on. Move on already.