"Who told you to stop and pray?" - signed God

Do you ever wonder why we are often described as sheep? It is definitely not the most flattering of terms to describe “believers”, but I suppose if it’s what God chose… then it must somehow fit.

Here’s the story: Moses had just convinced millions of Israelites to flee Egypt and within a very short distance, they walk up against a dead end road. Literally, they end up pressed against the wet Red Sea with nowhere to go. You know the story… they immediately start their belly aching and murmuring (probably more like cussing) accusing Moses for misleading them into what they so firmly believed was a “dead end road”. Haha! Isn’t that just like God? – How many times have you started out in what you thought was faith and obedience and almost immediately got parked in what felt like a “dead end road”. And true to human nature, we all start with the belly-aching, complaining and the murmuring routine.

Now, the reason I’m writing this is to ask this question: “Have you ever considered how the Lord repeatedly brings us into ‘dead end roads’?” Has it ever crossed your spiritual mind that just maybe God brings us to what we perceive are “dead end roads” on purpose? – Think about it. Didn't God do it again at the end of their 40-year camping trip through the desert? Just because they didn’t learn the lesson the first time, the Lord brought them back to a “dead end road”. This time Joshua was the leader and immediately walked them straight to the Jordan River....... at flood stage! Humanly speaking it would have been impossible for them to cross without a miracle.

Anyway, let’s return to what God said to Moses when he started crying out like the faithless Israelites – pay attention because I think this reveals God’s sense of humor. Notice what he said to Moses; (Exodus 14:15-16) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! (Essentially God said something like this; “Moses, who told you to stop going and pray to me?”) v16 Use your shepherd's staff – hold it out over the water, and a path will open up before you through the sea. Then all the people of Israel will walk through on dry ground.

Can you imagine the sight? I think this is really funny and very applicable to our lives as “sheep”. The Lord uses a leader to finally get us up and moving on a tremendous journey of faith and obedience. But then comes the first “dead end road” and were ready to kill the leader. “That stupid leader! How in the world did he convince us to do something so ridiculous? Why just look at that obstacle! We’re all gonna die just like the dream-killers said we would.” – “I’m turning back before it’s too late!” ----- We all know the drill!

Anyway, what I think is really funny (actually more sad than funny), is how so many people end up acting like they’re praying and stuff, when God is asking them, “Who told you to stop going and pray to Me?” – it may look spiritual and all good to family and friends, but the Lord is not impressed, especially when He already told you what to do and where to go. We’ve got to get clued in that He is going to almost always bring us to a “dead end road”… Why? – Now that there is an intelligent question for a sheep. If you paid attention to the stories in Sunday school, God is always planning to show Himself strong on our behalf. Like our Daddy in Heaven, He wants to show off in front of us so that we will always trust Him and confidently move forward regardless the obstacle or what looks like a dead end road. All He’s asking us to do is to NOT stop moving forward, but in spite of our fear, grab faith, obedience and a determination to trust Him completely by keep moving.

So the moral of the story is this; if you heard the Lord tell you to get out of whatever “Egypt” you’re in (home included), then get moving and don’t look back. At the first sign of a “dead end road” start worshipping instead of cussing. Whatever you do, don’t stop and definitely don’t close your eyes and start praying, because the Lord isn’t going to be happy about that… and what He may say to you may not be as funny as what He said to Moses. As for me, well I’m going to try walking on water.

Love,
PR -