By: Rex Stump
Do you trust God? What if you pray, and pray, and pray…and you still aren’t sure if He is answering? What if you feel like God abandoned you? Been there?
One of my favorite passages is found in Exodus 14:1-2. “Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses: “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-haircloth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon.”
Inspiring, right? A great verse to memorize and quote? Okay…maybe not. But understand the context. By the power and instruction of God, Moses just freed a couple million slaves from Egypt! They are on their way to a Promised Land.
Freedom and hope for a future are on the hearts of these people. Then God gives instructions to Moses. These instructions look like bad directions. Turn back and camp by the Red Sea, between a couple mountains. A perfect dead-end.
No really, a dead-end, because Pharoah changed his mind and brings his entire army to slaughter God’s people. Trapped like a rat, the people are pinned in.
It just didn’t make sense. Why would God put His people in a tight spot? A hopeless situation? Unless His plan is to reveal why He should be trusted.
Maybe there were still some doubters and unbelievers in the traveling mass. Could this be a moment to get rid of all doubts?
There was no way out…unless God shows them something they’ve never seen before. And He did! He split the Red Sea open, and God rescued His people once again, proving He is worthy to be trusted, EVEN WHEN He doesn’t appear to be trustworthy.
Trust God! 1 John 5:14 tells us, “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
This is our confidence – when we come before Him – when we pray – when we ask anything according to His will….HE HEARS US!
He hears us. God hears me. And God answers in His time, with His wisdom and understanding.
I recently heard a high school student teach a Bible lesson to a room of middle school students. He compared trusting God to that of being in a long line at an amusement park. The line is long, and the wait to get on the ride seems forever. Be patient, don’t get out of line.
If you do, you’ll have to start over, or possibly just never get on the ride. It’s quite possible that our impatience and lack of trust, could cause us to miss out completely! It’s worth the wait…stay in line.
Life may include moments of confusion and pain, pinned in a tight spot with no foreseeable way out. Trust God. Pray to Him. He hears you. And His plan is worth the wait.
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.