This morning we read a well known story about the Israelites leaving Egypt and walking through the Red Sea. They are lead by a cloud and a pillar of fire which is pretty cool - they must have felt on top of the world! Free from slavery, loaded with valuables and guided by an ongoing miracle cloud/pillar. A chosen people on top of the world.

But then they see the Egyptians chasing them down and their excitement turns to dread and regret that they ever left. They also start getting very sarcastic with Moses which I found amusing... “is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?”

Now what Moses says, in response to the complaints and sarcasm of the people, really struck me:

Exodus 14:13-14 “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Then what happens next? God moves the cloud in between the people and the Egyptians and parts the sea.

What I take away from this:

1. The reality of life: Situations can change in a moment and our feelings along with them but Gods plan hasn’t changed.

2. What do we do? “Fear not, stand firm... be silent” Silence the doubts and fears in our mind and stand firm on Gods word.

3. Know that God protects (puts a cloud between us and our enemies) and provides (makes a dry path through the sea).

I hope this encourages you. Let’s be like Moses to one another and encourage each other to “Fear not, stand firm... be silent”

It hasn’t been long into the new year but, for me (and I’m sure for many of you too), there is still a lot going on. There is a lot to balance, a lot to process, and a lot that could consume our minds. Thankfully, our story doesn’t just finish with our circumstance… we have Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellor and our Lord who invites us to lay our burdens at His feet.

Matthew 11: 28-30 (NIV) says:

“28 Come to me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I pray that, as we continue to navigate life, Holy Spirit shows us the reality of this Scripture in our every day.

There is a song I want to share with you. It’s formatted as God singing over us. I hope it provides something for you, as it has done for me - particularly in times of anxiousness and uncertainty. I have attached the link here.

For those of you who can’t access it now, here is the first verse…

“I am the Lord your God, I go before you now, I stand beside you, I'm all around you, Though you feel I'm far away, I'm closer than your breath, I am with you, Wherever you go. And I am the Lord, your peace, No evil will conquer you, Steady now your heart and mind, Come into my rest, Oh, let your faith arise, Lift up your weary head, I am with you, Wherever you go”

Hi folks, to encourage you to keep reading the Bible, and lean your heart towards him as you read His Word, I was greatly encouraged by the following quote from Smith Wigglesworth 

“Never compare this book to other books. Comparisons are dangerous. Never think or never say that this Book contains the Word of God. It is the Word of God. It is supernatural in origin, eternal in duration, inexpressible in value, infinite in scope, regenerative in power, infallible in authority, universal in interest, personal in application, inspired in totality. Read it through. Write it down. Pray it in. Work it out. And then pass it on.” And truly the Word of God changes a man until he becomes an epistle of God. It transforms his mind, changes his character, moves him on from grace to grace, makes him an inheritor of the very nature of God. God comes in, dwells in, walks in, talks through, and sups with him who opens his being to the Word of God and receives the Spirit who inspired it.”

I was reading about Hagar, (Sarah's servant girl who she told Abraham to sleep with in the hope of fulfilling God's promise to them of having children.) 

When Hagar became pregnant Sarah dispised Hagar, she treated her really badly and made her life a misery, to the point where Hagar had had enough and decided to run away.

Genesis 16 says an Angel of the Lord came to Hagar to tell her that she was pregnant with a son and she was to name him Ishmael (Meaning God hears).

After this,  Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me."  Then as told, she went back. 

My encouragement is whatever we face in life, God sees us. After this encounter Hagar went back to the same circumstances, but she was a different woman. The difference was she knew God was with her. 

Knowing God hears us, sees us and is with us has a massive impact on our lives and can bring us peace even if sometimes the circumstances don't change. 

HE SEES YOU!