[Exodus Experience Series] Exodus Experience DevotionsSample

He Does It His Way

A leader recognizes that he or she cannot do the job all by themselves, even if they are gifted and talented. Great leaders recognize Who it is that works in them and through them and that they do not control how God works. Sometimes He works miraculously, sometimes He works matter-of-factly, and sometimes He works mysteriously. However, great leaders recognize that God is at work.

In two short verses, we see God at work for Israel in all three of these ways. As Moses, trusting in the Lord, stretched out his hand over the sea, with the rod from verse 16 in that hand, Moses says, “the Lord caused the sea to go back.” This was not due to the rod nor to Moses, but to the miraculous working of God, holding fast to His promise to the nation. The Psalmist tells us that when we call upon the Lord in our day of trouble, He will deliver us and we will glorify Him. God also worked miraculously for Noah, Jonah, Elijah, Daniel, Mary, and Paul. Normal people for whom God chose to show up miraculously.

But He also works matter-of-factly. Though miracles still occur, God uses them sparingly. Even in the Scriptures, miracles were not the primary way God worked. Most of the time we see in the Bible that God helps His people in ordinary, providential ways and not in supernatural ones. He orchestrates many times without His trusting children even knowing it. In this instance, the east wind that God used to part the Red Sea was the same wind that brought in the plagues, and the same wind that was part of His creation. God worked in the everyday for Joseph, Ruth, David, Solomon, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and the disciples.

Finally, God also works mysteriously. Vance Havner once said, “God marks across some of our days, “Will explain later!” John tells us that Jesus said, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” For Moses and Israel, somehow when God parted the waves the land underneath their feet was dry and the water on either side of them was as tall as a city wall! How and why did He do that? The answer is the same for the Resurrection, the Ascension, and Pentecost. Only God knows and He asks us to trust Him. Do you trust Him to deliver you in His way?