Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them.
Exodus 14:3-4 CSB
It seemed like an impossible situation. The Israelites themselves seemed perplexed. Under God’s direction, they appeared to be “wandering around the land in confusion.” What puzzled the Egyptians was that they placed themselves in a situation with no apparent escape.
The Israelites might have looked trapped, but the Egyptians didn’t realize they were following an amazing strategy designed by God. In fact, the Israelites themselves didn’t really understand His plan. After all, they were unarmed, trapped between a great army and a massive body of water. Justifiably, many Israelites were bewildered and afraid. Some wished they had stayed in Egypt. Many were prepared to give up!
No person could have conceived of God’s plan or acted in the way He designed. But His plan worked perfectly and led to a total victory.
The Israelites could not have known that the Egyptians themselves were full of fear (Exodus 15:14-16). They sensed that Israel’s God was special. More than forty years later, the people of Jericho admitted hearing how He “dried up the water of the Red Sea.” They marveled at how God saved His people (Joshua 2:10).
Trust God in the situations you face. Commit your ways to Him. Seek His wisdom. Ask for His strategies. You may not understand His plans, but you can trust Him, even in conditions that seem impossible and with unexpected methods.
Prayer
Father, I commit these situations to You: _______. I seek Your strategies. I will follow You. I trust You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
