January 14, 2013 … Move On!

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 14

Passage of the Day: Exodus 14: 15 …  
15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”
============

Contextual Reference Passage: … To study today’s highlight passage in context, go to Exodus, Chapter 14 … by using this link … 
============

Reference Passage #1: Proverbs 3: 5-6 : [NLT] … {I hope you know this one by now; but if not, please find, read, and meditate again on the deeper meaning of this passage for our lives, especially for our decision making abilities. } … 

  Reference Passage #2: Hebrews 11: 1, 6 : [NLT] … {Faith? Do we have enough to “move on?” } …  
1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. … 6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 

My Journal for Today: I’ll bet you know the story in Exodus 14. God had led Moses and the Israelites to the Red Sea, which was a curious move since they could have gone around the sea. But in the meantime, Pharaoh had done a 180 and came after the Israelites whom he had freed after all those plagues. He wanted to kill them all at the Red Sea; and the people, getting wind of Pharaoh’s pursuit, buckled in fear; but Moses, having faith in their deliverance, heard the message of God to “MOVE ON;” and we know the outcome. The sea parted and they walked across on dry ground.

Ever had a “Red Sea” experience in your life, … a place where your faith was severely tested by circumstances which seemed – by sight and logic – to be overwhelmingly oppressive or almost – if not – impossible? I sure have; and my faith was severely tested, especially since I seemed to be getting the same message from God that Moses got at the Red Sea … “MOVE ON!”

Take a look at (and meditate on) the verses from that great “hall of faith” chapter - Hebrews 11, especially verses 1 and 6 - in the New Testament [copied above]. And then put those in the context of God’s wisdom from Proverbs 3: 5-6, which, as I indicate above, I hope you have memorized and internalized. And those passages cry out to believers to seek God’s way, and as you may remember from the old Nike slogan, “just do it!”, but doing it God’s way!

But sometimes, God’s way (and His will) can lead us into Red Sea places in our lives, … places where things just cry out to our flesh to wrap it up, go home, and quit. But that’s where our proactive disciplines and our faith drive us to “move on” in spite of what we see or feel.

Besides, our feelings will often appeal to our Jeremiah 17: 9 hearts, which are deceitful; and Satan knows it. So, he just loves it when we get backed up to a “Red Sea” experience; and he’ll pour gas on the flames of our discontent or discouragement, making what seems difficult to seem impossible. He’ll make us want to just crawl in a hole of our self-pity and quit on going God’s way.

So, when, as Christians, we’re up against the Red Sea; and God’s Spirit is calling, nudging, or just flat out yelling at us, to “MOVE ON,” … that is what we must do … MOVE ON … in faith, trusting that God Spirit will show us the way to walk on dry ground to the other side of our Read Sea circumstances.

My Prayer for Today Lord, thank You for taking me – often – through my Red Sea places and delivering me to the other side for Your glory. … Amen