I can imagine him yelling it while urgently trying to get their attention.

“DONT BE AFRAID!!”

He got some of their attention, but most of them are still screaming and crying and panicking. He jumps onto a rock to get a better vantage point, wiling them with his mind and grand gestures to shift their focus from their impending doom to his words that seem to be getting taken on the wind…

“Just STAND. STILL. And watch the Lord rescue you today!”

They all begin to take deep breaths. Not fully trusting or understanding, but surrendering to a new option…because the chariots racing down the hill that have come to reclaim them are not stopping and anything is better than that! Moses lowers his voice and speaks clearly, yet, passionately.

“The Eqyptians you see today will never be seen again.”

They all turn back to look at the ground that has been covered by their enemies, gathering the children, taking a few steps closer to one another. Hoping against all hope that what Moses says is true, as they cautiously glance at one another.

“The Lord himself will FIGHT FOR YOU” Moses yells. “Just STAY CALM”

I underline, rewrite and find such encouragement in these words. YES. This. Stand still, watch as the Lord rescues you, fights for you…stay calm. love it.

Then I keep reading…

Then the Lord says to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?”

um…the army. they are coming. fast. our joy was so short lived. you are our only hope…thats why?

“Tell the people to GET MOVING!”

I stop.

Wait. What happened to stand still? And staying calm? Those don’t quite jive with the urgent call to set out and move forward. So which one is it? I re-read it, and begin to let it sink in. I realize that this seeming contradiction of choices is still striving for dominance in my own life, even now. This balance of resting, trusting, staying calm while doing the next thing, moving forward, taking action is still causing me some hesitation. They can and do go together, work together. right?

In my soul, my emotions can be running a-muck, wreaking havoc, and having a hay day…in my own life there are moments, situations, even seasons where I am terrified, fearful and very scared. Paralyzed by anger, jealousy or confusion. My emotions do not “stand still” or “stay calm” very well. There is no stopping them, no squelching them. Best case scenario I ride them out, but in the face of all these valid emotions Moses speaks “stand still, stay calm, watch as the Lord fights for you, and how He rescues you.”

If this wasn’t a possibility I don’t think he would have asked it of them. As impossible as it seems, this posture of stillness and calmness can be achieved, can be experienced. Obedience is possible in spite of extreme emotions.

In just the last few weeks the Lord had revealed His might, His power. He had revealed to the Egyptians and the Isrealites alike that He was the Lord. The Almighty One. The One True God. Moses knew that in the face of all this chaos their emotions could be overcome with a simple act of remembrance. The Lord comes through. Its what He does. Probably just in the knick of time, and most likely not in the exact way you wanted or felt necessary but still…He. Came. Through. When we remember what the Lord has done for us, we take a stand on His faithfulness. We watch with expectation, trusting that His heart is for us, as He works through the situation. The storm inside us calms as He speaks to it, “I will fight for you today, just as I did yesterday, you will be victorious”.

And then He asks us to move. In this story it was clear…they needed to get up and literally move out, journey through, depart from that place physically, and the Lord made a way where there was none. Not each situation that I find myself in is as clear as to which direction I am to move, but the request…or should I say decree, is clear. MOVE. Don’t stay where you are. With your soul set firmly on His truth and your soul clinging to Peace, the person of Peace, you are then able to clearly follow, move, set out. Obey.

Following Him requires a resolve to turn from the present/past issue, in most cases that has yet to be resolved, and set out on a new path. That relationship that is not yet healed, yet you are equipped to love and forgive. The financial crisis that has not yet been covered, so you pray specifically and trust, (maybe get a second job) but ultimately He is our great provider. The medical diagnosis that is still hanging in the balance, but you daily draw from His Grace, His life. So many questions that have no answers, no visible fruit of our work, dreams that have not come to fruition…be still. God is moving, He is working…move forward trusting His heart. Take the next step knowing His Power and Might go before you, and remain behind.

There is a work that cannot be seen by our human eyes, but can only be trusted with an eternal perspective.

We all know how the story progresses, the Lord moves His fiery presence in-between the Israelites and their enemy, opens up a path for them to cross the red sea, confuses the army and “twists” the chariot wheels, and ultimately delivers them safely and decisively to the other side of the Red Sea, while destroying 600 Egyptions. And as the people watch the miraculous happen they “realize the tremendous power of God”, and sang praises to Him declaring “God is my strength, my song, my salvation”, asking “who compares with you in power, in holy majesty, in awesome praises, wonder-working God?’ (msg)

Today, be still. Stand and watch as the Lord fights for you, stay calm. Renew your mind, (moment by moment if needed) set it on the faithfulness of God reminding yourself of His goodness, and His power that He has displayed in your life, because then you will hold your peace. And move. Move in Love. Move in peace. Move into a journey with Him, day by day, focusing on and looking for what He might be doing next.

Beholding His Glory,