The people of Israel had been slaves for four hundred years. Moses came along and told them God had a different plan for their future. He had freedom in a land of their own. They followed God’s vision of a promised land, but they ran into an obstacle, the Red Sea. They had no boats, bridges, or barges. Pharaoh’s army was closing in from behind, and they were filled with fear. In their fear, they decided life, where they were as slaves, would be better than life where God wanted them to be. Moses told them to fight the fright, and that God had a future. If they would just stand still, they would see Him work. They did. God provided a way and the sea parted. To get where God wants you to go, you will have to fight the fright. The biggest obstacle to claiming the future God has for you is fear. People resist change, not because they are grumpy or bad, but because they are afraid. We get comfortable where we are and with what we know. Fight the fright. Here is an anecdote to the fear of the future. Psalm 59:10 says, “The God of my mercy shall go before me.” A better translation is, “My God and His loving kindness shall meet me at every corner.” We don’t have to be afraid because God is already in the future ahead of us. We shouldn’t fear tomorrow because God is there.
– Dr. Tim Thompson