“Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again. God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!” God said to Moses: “Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground.” (Exodus 14:12-16 MSG)
It was their season to be blessed, speaking of the Israelites after they had been freed from Egyptian bondage and were on the start of their journey to the Promised Land; to a better place where life would be enriched, enlarged, and exceptional. Yet here they are in our text, stuck on a beachfront before the Red Sea. Their travels had not been that long so far and they face a seemingly unconquerable obstacle. They are ready to turn back; prepared to give up. Perhaps they were wondering as individuals, “What happened to my season to be blessed?” In fact the answer, as they would find out firsthand from their upcoming experience, “Yes, it is! Nevertheless, it was like they forgot that God was still God, same God who brought them out with many miraculous works, and they were still His chosen people; destined for a new page in history. And to be honest about it, they were blind to the fact that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. They needed the Apostle Paul to admonish them of that fact! No Paul, but they had Moses. God takes care of His people. Moses gives them some reassurance in the verses above. And God sends a specific word, and orders the people to get moving.
Right before the pandemic came, our plans were optimistic and void of pessimism. We had just approached and/or acknowledged that it was our season to be blessed. But the virus obviously objected to our optimism. The disease, spreading rampantly and rapidly, disturbed and/or dismissed our dreams. Our lives were interrupted and many of our lives were inconvenienced. Many asked and some are still asking, “What happened to my season to be blessed?”
Our dreams of a better life were delayed, deferred, and discombobulated right in front of our eyes. We had just arrived at a higher plateau of life and then we were pulled down low without much notice. Can’t you hear the question being posed? “What happened to my season to be blessed?” Well I must ask you, “What happened to your response, “God is good all the time and all the time God is good?” We were excited, filled with exuberance, looking for an extremely brighter day ahead, an exceptional and quick remedy to the crisis, and an expedient resumption of our journey under normal conditions. Experience has taught many Christians that the question is not, “Why me,” but rather “Why not me,” understanding we are not exempt from trials, troubles, tests, or temptations. But many were still asking the question, “What happened to our season to be blessed?” Some had doubts about the future, but I guess those people needed to hear the Apostle Paul too, in terms of all things working together for good. Don’t you agree?
Think how God is blessing you in this new way of life, sustaining you, strengthening you, and solidifying family ties. Then after realizing your blessing and rekindling your faith – get moving! Think about the opportunities He has afforded you, including a job or any job, a job where you can work from home, a job substitute called help that came from many places, and then – get moving! Realize that life is filled with tests that develop your spiritual walk, and are preparing you to walk by faith and not by sight in the times to come, and then – get moving! Cry your tears and let God wipe your eyes dry by reminding you dearly through the Holy Spirit, that He will never leave you or forsake you. Be thankful believer, you are not in this thing alone, and then – get moving! Charles Dicken’s perspective in “A Tale of Two Cities” is expressed this way, “It was the best of time; it was the worst of times.” We can look at it different because no matter the conditions Child of God, if we keep the faith, we will come out like gold refined in fire. Listen my friend! See your present blessings (plural)! Thank God for them! Persevere and press on! “Better” is ahead for you! Get moving now! Be blessed!
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King