‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13–14 NIV)
The Exodus story is not simply about what the Israelites get out of, (their bondage to the Egyptians as their slave labour force), but how they get out of it, (crossing over the Red Sea by grace). In Moses’ response to the fearful, complaining, ungrateful Israelites, the principle of grace could not be more clearly stated: “Stand still. God is going to fight for you. All you need to do is watch. You can’t part the Red Sea. You can’t defeat the mighty Egyptian army. God is going to do it for you. Don’t look to your own efforts, but receive complete deliverance, based not on your own works, but solely on God’s works.”
That’s the principle of grace, but the Exodus story also illustrates how that grace works. It involves a crossing over from their old false masters where they were under condemnation and the sentence of death, to a new master where there is freedom and life. This idea is picked up in the New Testament where Jesus tells us: ‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.’ (John 5:24)
The Christian is one who has crossed over from bondage to freedom, from death to eternal life by standing still and trusting in the grace God offers through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Now that’s a rescue worth telling the world about.
Prayer
Father, may we be still and realize that our complete and total salvation is found in the grace you freely give us through Jesus Christ, and in our gratitude may we share this good news with all who need rescuing from bondage.
Amen.
Have a good week sharing the news of God’s rescue.
Pastor Barry
