Exodus 14:19-31; 15: 20-21
When we read the Bible we sometimes get stuck trying to imagine something that happened long ago and far away. This morning’s reading (which was wonderfully acted out) is a story that is so huge that we might find it hard to believe. Some of us hear it and think of the great movie made by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Charlton Heston as Moses. It’s big and loud and filled with action.
And if we read this and think it’s an interesting story from long ago and far away, then stop right there, we lose a lot. What we lose is our sense that God does today what God did way back then. God breaks down barriers and builds bridges and pushes back flood waters and leads us to the other side.
These past few weeks we’ve heard headlines and seen pictures on the TV about hurricanes and terrible floods and wild fires and drought and the tenth anniversary of 9/11.
It feels really scary sometimes. When we read our Bibles we learn about other scary times when the Egyptians or the Canaanites or other enemies made the Israelites’ lives miserable. And every time God led them through.
The Quakers have a saying, “way will open.” I like that. A lot. Buddhists have a saying “Move and the way will open.” Moses said “follow me and the way will open, the waters will part.”
Every one of us has times when we feel stuck and worried and afraid. We look ahead and all we see is barriers and obstacles and all sorts of things that seem to stand in our way. We can’t imagine how we’ll ever push through.
It may be you’re finding your way in a new school or making friends on the playground. It may be you’re out of work and don’t know what will happen next. It may be you’re feeling alone and need a friend. It may be you’re sick and can’t see anything else. It may be you don’t have enough money for food and clothes and cold weather isn’t far away. It may be any of these things. And you look ahead and can’t imagine how you’ll ever push through.
What you do, like Moses and the children of Israel, is take one step, then another, then another.
And then you remember that this God we worship, this God who loves you is a barrier-bridging,
water-parting,
light-giving,
life-healing Creator who knows you and loves you and walks with you.
When we face the sea don’t be afraid; don’t hang back. It’s time to look up and step up, and move forward and live.