Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Red Sea... What does it mean to me?

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life"(Rom 6:4).

When Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt, he took them to the edge of the Red Sea. The people saw the sea before them and heard the chariots of the Egyptians behind them. They knew they were trapped… and they lost their faith in God. They thought God was no longer at work in their lives. In panic and despair, they turned on Moses and said, "didn't we tell you, 'leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians.' Better to live as slaves than to die in the desert!"

They couldn't imagine that God's path to freedom actually led straight into and through the deep waters! The waters of the Red Sea, like baptism, are a symbol of death. When Moses parted the Red Sea, the Israelites walked upon the dry land with walls of water on either side. Just like baptism, they died to their old selves and rose to a new life that led to the Promised Land.

When things aren’t going as smooth as I think they should I too sometimes panic and cry out to God.  But time and time again, He takes me through the depths so I can enter the Promised Land.  Praise God!

2 comments:

  1. Amen!!! I love that - He takes us through the depths so we can enter the Promised Land! Praise God!

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