{"id":741,"date":"2021-01-05T09:19:46","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T20:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/?p=741"},"modified":"2021-01-05T09:19:46","modified_gmt":"2021-01-04T20:19:46","slug":"no-place-to-go-but-forward-exodus-7-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/2021\/01\/05\/no-place-to-go-but-forward-exodus-7-14\/","title":{"rendered":"No Place To Go But Forward\u00a0(Exodus 7-14.)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we start a new year, the thoughts of \u201cNew Year Resolutions<\/em>\u201d somehow, seem fruitless!\u00a0Instead, I think most of us are just looking forward to a year of just normalcy! Normalcy over everything that struck us in 2020!\u00a0This is a time of hope, anticipation, and most of all, faith!<\/p>\n

For the world in general, lockdowns, job losses, and dealing with the Covid virus overshadowed everything.\u00a0For Americans, the political situation was a roller coaster ride with uncertainty for the months ahead.\u00a0But, will we dwell on the current situations or be confident that God has everything in control?<\/p>\n

While commenting on a national news article last month, I was struck with a thought that I would like to share and expound on more.\u00a0While it is quite lengthy, if you are not fully familiar with Exodus, chapters 7-14, please read through this passage of scripture.<\/p>\n

Often, it is difficult to see God working and we may wonder if He even cares or hears the prayers of a righteous remnant of people praying for His intervention.\u00a0Usually, faith is not practiced unless it HAS to be practiced!\u00a0When everything is going our way (here in the South, we might say, \u201cwhen everything is going all hunky-dorey\u201d!) and we see God’s blessings, we don’t think about what He is still doing in preparation for another day to come.<\/p>\n

The children of Israel were being oppressed by the Egyptians for many years.\u00a0Because of their disobedience to God, they were forced to go through slavery by the over-powering Egyptians.\u00a0Life was hard.\u00a0I wonder how often they had privately repented from turning their backs on God.\u00a0I wonder also, out of that nation, how many righteous people who had sought to do right all along were also suffering from the deeds brought on by their race as a whole.\u00a0Sometimes, the good end up suffering along with the bad.<\/p>\n

Finally, the Israelites had a leader to save them!\u00a0While Moses and Aaron dealt with Pharaoh, there seemed to be more promise of a better future but, instead, Pharaoh dealt more harshly with them.\u00a0Many plagues fell upon Egypt.\u00a0Finally, with the climax of Pharaoh’s own son dying, the Israelites were set free.\u00a0They thought everything was now headed toward a bright future!\u00a0They were free of the Egyptians!\u00a0They were headed for the Promised Land!\u00a0 What could go wrong?<\/p>\n

As they gathered their possessions and began the caravan to the Promised Land, their hearts were full of joy!\u00a0They were freed from the heavy hand of the Egyptians!\u00a0They were free to go where they wanted.\u00a0All was not as they had imagined, however!<\/p>\n

As they approached the Red Sea, news came of the Egyptian army following them.\u00a0Would they be slaughtered?\u00a0Would they be forced to return and be under heavier bondage?\u00a0Their hopes and dreams suddenly collapsed.\u00a0What happened?\u00a0Had they not been thanking God for rescuing them earlier?\u00a0Had they forgotten that God is in the details?\u00a0Where was their faith now?<\/p>\n

Where is\u00a0your<\/u>\u00a0faith right now?\u00a0Has the past year taken away your enthusiasm or hope?\u00a0Do you see more of the same in the year ahead?\u00a0Are you seeing your finances, family, or personal walk with God destroyed?\u00a0God did not take a vacation once He let the Israelites go and neither is he taking a vacation from us today!\"\"<\/p>\n

The Israelites had no place to go.\u00a0Only the forbidding Red Sea was before them.\u00a0To retreat was certain death.\u00a0Then God showed them His miracle!\u00a0He opened and divided the sea and even went a step further to let them pass through on dry ground.\u00a0Had they chosen to go another way than where God had told them to travel, they would have missed the miracle! God didn’t panic suddenly and think, \u201cOh no!\u00a0I need to do something quick!\u201d<\/p>\n

They did not know what God had planned but God already had the miracle taking place. He was leading them toward the seashore because that was His plan to rescue them.\u00a0Once across the sea and safely on the other shore, He released the walls of water and drowned the Egyptian soldiers, never to be bothered by them again!<\/p>\n

While the events of this past year have seem oppressive and discouraging, don’t give up hope, my sister!\u00a0Whether it is financial, physical, spiritual, a family crisis, or whatever it might be, God has been working His miracle!\u00a0It may seem that we are up against insurmountable obstacles at times but God is not finished!\u00a0Even at this moment He is working out His plan for you and for me.<\/p>\n

It is when our backs are against the sea that God reveals His plans.\u00a0Had God told the Israelites what He planned to do ahead of time, they would not have exercised their faith nor witnessed the miracle God was creating.\u00a0They had no place to go but forward!<\/p>\n

We used to sing a song with our teenagers that went something like is:\u00a0\u201cMy Lord knows the way through the wilderness.\u00a0All I have to do is follow. Strength for today is mine all the way and all that I need for tomorrow…\u201d<\/em>. Trust God that every step in 2021 is ordered by Him.\u00a0Will you go forward and let Him lead and protect you?<\/p>\n

If you wish to leave an encouraging comment or add a thought, please scroll past photos and links to other articles and you will find a place to leave you comment. Thanks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we start a new year, the thoughts of \u201cNew Year Resolutions\u201d somehow, seem fruitless!\u00a0Instead, I think most of us are just looking forward to … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[3],"tags":[247,65,95],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=741"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":747,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741\/revisions\/747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}