Dealing with Red Sea Situations By Ed McDowell

Pharaoh’s downfall in the Red Sea (Exodus 14). Wood engraving, published in 1886.

How Will You Part Your Red Sea?

“Then the Lord asked Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.”

Exodus 14:15-16

Moses has a Red Sea leadership crisis on his hands. Pharaoh has changed his mind about letting the people of Israel go. With all of his military power and force, he sets out to get them back. The Israelites have made it as far as the Red Sea and appear to have nowhere to go.

Listen to what they have to say: “

As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!”

Exodus 14:10-12

Moses responds to their well-founded fear with words of peace and faith in God:

“But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Exodus 14:13-14

Reflection

Here is the situation. The people of Israel have overwhelming physical evidence they are about to be taken captive again by the Egyptians. They do not see a way forward.

Moses has a leadership crisis. His response is a response for every leader following God: Be still and watch what God will do. God is going to lead us through this today. Stay calm. Moses reminds the people to live in faith and trust God.

God has specific instructions, starting with a question: Why are you crying out to me? This seems to be our perpetual challenge when difficult situations with overwhelming evidence are bearing down on us. We become afraid and question all the specifics of how God will lead us through.

Our eyes are fixed on the daunting problem.

God has a clear response for leaders to share with others: Tell the people to get moving!

God also gives leaders specific instructions. In Moses’ case, it was to pick up his staff and raise his hand over the Red Sea. By doing this in obedient faith, God would do the impossible. Moses did, and God did.

For leaders following Christ today, God will ask us to lead with obedient faith. He will provide specific instructions. As he does, a leader’s obedient faith will see God’s provision in a particularly challenging situation.

Encouragement

The Red Sea story of the Israelites will always be unique in its details, as will anything we have ever seen God do before or since. This uniqueness gives us trust and faith that God will uniquely meet the “Red Sea Situations” of our times as followers of Christ.

Are you facing “Red Sea Situations” where the indicators and evidence of everything you see are overwhelming, and there doesn’t seem to be a good way forward?

May I invite you to state the “Red Sea Situations” that you see and are experiencing right now?

For leaders, keep your focus on God. Invite the people to stay calm. Encourage everyone to watch what God is going to do. In obedient faith, do what God asks of you.

Everyone following God, get ready to move forward obediently as God leads. There is a way forward that you cannot see. God is going before you. He will make the way clear.

One more thing. In this story of the Red Sea, take time to notice that while God is providing a way forward, he takes up a position of protection for those following him:

“Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them.”

Exodus 14:19

While God is leading us forward, he has our back!

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the life your word brings to all of us today.

I confess that I often come crying out to you about something I do not have good answers for. Others are riled up by it. Fear surfaces.

Help me follow Moses’ example of inviting people to stand in your presence and watch what you will do to lead us through. Help us stay calm during these times.

Help me to invite others to get up and move in the direction you are taking us.

Help me to, in faithful obedience, do what you tell me to do.

Thank you for the results of this, as you lead and provide.

In your name, Jesus, we pray,

Amen

####

Ed McDowell is the CEO of Warm Beach Camp Ministries. He also coaches and consults in board leadership and development to bring fresh perspectives to perplexing situations. Ed authorizes a devotional series titled A Well-Planted Faith in an Uprooted Culture. His writing and speaking aim to challenge people to have God’s Word inform how they live. Ed and his wife, Bev, live on Camano Island, Washington, where they live out their mission statement: “To give our lives away for the cause of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible.”

We have a global experience for you to learn and grow as a leader!

< Return to Blog Posts

Dealing with Red Sea Situations By Ed McDowell