And the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters like a wall to them on their right and their left.
The Egyptians set out in pursuit-all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen-and went into the sea after them. Then during the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud and threw them into confusion.    Exodus 14:22-24 HCSB

We’ve been discussing identifying with the Israelites. Yesterday we talked about trusting God when the enemy is closing in on us and we have nowhere to go.

God parted the Red Sea and allowed the Israelites to walk through on dry ground. When the Egyptians followed them in to pursue and overtake them, God did two things. First, He threw the Egyptians into confusion. God often does this with those who choose to go against Him and His people. Then, He closed the sea. He brought the waters back and drowned Pharaoh and his entire army.

I can’t imagine what a terrifying time this must have been for the Israelites. They saw their enemy approaching. They had no way out until God made a way. God had told Moses He was going to do something that would bring Him glory and let all the Egyptians know that He was the one, true God (Exodus 14:4).

The first thing the Israelites did was complain to Moses. What’s the first thing you do when you find yourself in a situation that seems impossible? Do you complain and grumble? I know I sometimes do.

The first thing we should do in a situation like this is pray. Cry out to God for help.

God had been traveling with the Israelites since they left Egypt in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They knew He was with them. They could see this cloud and fire. Does it change your attitude knowing God is with you?

If you do your best to live your life in a way that pleases God, you will feel His presence in your life. You will go through tough times, but you can count on Him to be with you.

Sometimes we find ourselves in tough situations to test our faith. The book of Job gives us a prime example. We may also be in this situation so God can show us and others that He is still performing miracles. He is still with His children and protecting them.

Think about what God did for the Israelites, He parted the Red Sea. Imagine an entire sea opening up with the ground beneath being dry so all these people could walk through. In Exodus 12:37 we are told that about 600,000 men on foot, along with their families, left Egypt on the night of the Passover. It is believed that some 2,000,000 people were traveling together when they left Egypt. God parted the Sea and dried the ground so they could safely cross the sea. We are told in Exodus 14:20 that Pharaoh and his army didn’t get near the Israelites all night long.

When this was over the Israelites praised God. In Exodus 15 they sang acknowledging God’s salvation and His goodness. Sadly, this would be short lived because in a matter of just three days they would be complaining again.

Has God ever done something miraculous to save you from trouble? Have you ever found yourself complaining the very next time a problem came along? I’d like to say I’ve never done that, but I can’t lie.

There’s a lot to be learned from the Israelites like learning to pray before complaining, and trusting God’s got this.

Most importantly, when a problem comes along, don’t focus on the problem, focus on God’s power and how He has helped you in the past. He’s brought you this far, He won’t fail you now.

Have a great day!