Reason #111

“If God brings you to it, he’ll bring you through it.” Heard that one before? But what does that mean, “bring you through it?” What does “through it” look like? How does He do it, exactly? So I thought about the Israelites today. I have come to love this story and I realize it’s the prequel to all of humanity’s story. Lost people, rebellious and forgetful, but chosen and loved, who wander and fail and are redeemed. A group who falls down but is picked back up time and time again. A group who deserves to be destroyed but is saved because of a gracious God. A group who finally makes it “home” but not without learning quite a few tough lessons along the way. My story in a nutshell. Your story, too. And, like the Israelites, I am ready to get to that Promised Land. Ready for that gigantic fruit. Ready to stop wandering. Get me there as quickly as you can, Lord. But the first steps started in the form of a rescue. They cried out and He heard them. And I bet they wondered how He was going to accomplish that task. Oh, but He did. In ways they would have never imagined. In ways that only He could do. The people He loved dearly went marching victoriously out of captivity. Rescued. The first part of their journey to freedom. (Exodus 13)

Moving on to scene 2 and God has now brought these rescued, loved, chosen people to the Red Sea. (Exodus 14) A body of water that is, according to Wikipedia, 1400 miles long, 221 miles wide and, on average, 1610 feet deep. And to top it off, the Egyptians have now decided to chase down the Israelites and kill them. Either way, things looked pretty bleak. And the Israelites grumbled and panicked, as I would have done, too. “Really, God? You brought us out here so that we could be killed? This was your purpose the whole time? Seems strange that you would do all those miraculous things to free us from captivity only to lead us into a death trap.” Well, this was in fact God’s doing. He led them right to that sea but not to take their lives. Rather, to change their lives. To save their lives. “If God brings you to it, he’ll bring you through it.” And that’s exactly what He did. So the waters rose, and I can only imagine what it felt like to walk for a few hundred miles between walls of water that were at least 600 feet tall. I can imagine they were a little nervous. Probably scared, too. But they didn’t have a choice. They couldn’t turn back and they couldn’t go around. Going through was the only option. The best option.

I’m a girl who likes options, and thankfully, I live in a society that feels the same way. But sometimes, I don’t have an option. Sometimes, like the Israelites, it seems like I only have bad options. Truthfully, I kind of feel that way right now. He has brought me to a place and I am wondering how He’s going to bring me through it. I know I can’t go back, and I can’t seem to find a way around. I would like another option, but there isn’t one. Well, I take that back, there is. But it’s an option that requires a lot of faith, a lot of trust, and frankly, it scares me a bit. So I know, like the Israelites, that the only thing I can do is start walking forward. Let Him bring me through it.

And I’m so thankful that God never changes. I’m thankful that His faithfulness stays the same through the generations. Because I look at those Israelites, fully knowing the outcome, and I say, “Come on guys! You can do it! Just wait until you get to the other side. He’s going to do so many awesome things for you. You’re not going to believe it! It all works out! Trust Him; He’s got an amazing plan for you in all of this.” And I am beginning to see that He, too, brought me here not to destroy my life, but to change it. To save it. And He didn’t give me options because He knew I’d choose the easy way out. He also knew that if I didn’t walk through it, my life wouldn’t be changed. So I put one foot in front of the other, unsure of how long this walk will be, but confident that I’ll come out on the other side and when I do, I’ll be able to see His amazing plan through all of it.

#111 – Because He is going to bring me through it.

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” – Romans 12:12