Summer At Sea: Week 4 Day 4

Exodus 14:15-20

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

One of the greatest animated movies of all time, in my humble opinion, is Prince of Egypt. It is a Dreamworks movie from the 1990’s that tells the story of Exodus. I can picture this scene that we read about today specifically because it is one of the most epic pieces of animation ever. The cloud and fire of Heaven crashing to the earth to protect these Israelites is a beautiful image of the protection of God. 

Do hard things happen in our life? Absolutely, and they help us grow. Let us remember, however, that we belong to a mighty God who is willing to stand in the gap to protect those He loves from the attack of the enemy. I think of the way Jesus said it in John 16:33, “‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” Sometimes we are stuck between a rock and a hard place; an army and an ocean, but we have a God who destroys armies and splits seas. We have nothing to fear but Him!