There will be times in life
when you feel completely boxed in by an overwhelming situation. There’s only
one term that can describe what you feel at such times: paralyzing fear. It is a
choking feeling caused by not knowing what else to do when you have explored
all the available options. You suddenly lose control of yourself. Your mind
goes numb, and your thought process completely stops. You feel little sweat
beads running down the sides of your face, and visible tremors seize your whole
body. You lose control of your limbs, causing your joints to weaken and give
way. You stumble to the ground in finality. This
must be the end, you conclude in your thoughts.
I read about the experience of
a fascinating group of people and how they overcame their own paralyzing
moments. This story was written in an Old Testament book called Exodus, and it
is a simple yet profound account of how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. The
Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. They had been mistreated and
ridiculed by their overseers, experiencing the horrible degradation that comes
with slavery. Mothers watched their children born and die in slavery. The
people had come to accept this status as their fate. Then suddenly, out of the
blue, a man appeared and told them, “you are going to leave Egypt; you will
once again become free men.”
I can only imagine their mental
and emotional struggles as they tried to believe the words of this prophet. In
the days that followed, the Israelites experienced first-hand the wonders of
the God through the prophet as they were delivered from Pharaoh’s tight
clutches. They saw Egypt’s water turn to blood, locust cover the entire land
and devour the plants, and all of Egypt’s first born die. The people gradually believed
the in prophet’s God and the prophet’s claim. One day, the people found
themselves walking out of Egypt and into freedom with their children, all their
possessions, and more. They rejoiced because of their deliverance as walked all
the way through the desert until they arrived at the Red Sea where they set up
a camp between Migdol and the Red sea.
The people did not complain
about living in a camp by the Red Sea. At least they were free and would no
longer be called slaves. The new status was enough until they realized Pharaoh
and his entire army were right behind them. Pharaoh had changed his mind and
was coming to drag them back into slavery. The people panicked and cried out to
the prophet in fear. Pharaoh and his army were coming behind them on swift
chariots and the Red Sea was moving boisterously in front of them. Any attempt
to move back would have driven them into the hands of the Egyptians, and any
attempt to move forward would have meant drowning in the Red Sea. There was no
escape. The prophet turned to his God, the ever-present help in times of need,
and he was told, “Don’t be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the Lord save you
today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. The Lord will fight for you,
and you won’t have to do a thing. Why do you keep calling out to me for help?
Tell the Israelites to move forward. Then hold your walking stick over the sea.
The water will open up and make a road where they can walk through on dry
ground.”
I can’t even imagine what was
going through the prophet’s mind as he listened to God’s words, but he kept his
reserve to himself. He moved forward, stretched his rod out over the sea, and watched
it part. In my geography class, I was taught that the sea bed is lower than the
level of the ground around the sea. When the sea was parted, I wonder if the sea
bed was elevated to ground level so the people were able to walk easily or if
the people had to walk down into the sea bed. I have no idea, but I know the
sea parted, and the people walked through on dry land.
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