Exodus 14:14 “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

This is a wonderful promise, but put a little differently, it’s a little amusing. “I’ve got this, so would you shut up?” Various cultures have traditions of loud verbal expression of emotion. Living in Japan, the Koreans come to mind. Even in Jesus’ day there were professional mourners, who would wail when the family was too exhausted to do so. (Luke 9:52-53) Here, it was more a matter of genuine terror at what the approaching Egyptian army was likely to do to them, and God was saying that was a totally unnecessary expenditure of emotional energy. We get all worked up about all sorts of things, and often in retrospect we realize that they were never more than a minor bump in the road. Jake Hess sang, “Death Ain’t No Big Deal,” and he was right! He has since experienced that for himself, and it’s a good thing for us all to remember. As Paul said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) That’s precisely what God is saying here. Whether our immediate circumstances will pass like a bad dream, transform us to be more like Christ, or take us into the throne room of God is nothing to be worried about when we really grasp the love of God for us.

I will never forget the first time the Lord spoke to me in what seemed like an audible voice. I had been concerned about a particular issue and was beseeching God for guidance, praying nonstop, saying, “Lord, speak to me!” When I paused for breath, He did, saying, “Well then, shut up.” I was shocked into silence, and then I had to laugh, because I literally asked for that! At this point I have no idea what the original issue was that I was so concerned about, but I will never forget having God say that to me so clearly. I can’t say that I’ve never gotten worked up over issues since then, but they’ve been much easier to deal with because of the assurance that God is paying attention, and He really loves me. This is something I want all believers to know, and I’m sure God wants that too. We construct all sorts of scenarios in our minds, but in the final analysis, none of them are any big deal if we are in Christ, because God is God, period.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me remember it always, in practical terms, so that my life may lead others to the same awareness, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!