During the Battle of Spotsylvania in the Civil War, Union general John Sedgwick was inspecting his troops. At one point he came to a low protective wall, over which he gazed out in the direction of the enemy. His officers suggested that this was unwise and perhaps he ought to duck while passing through a vulnerable position. “Nonsense,” snapped the general. “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” As the words left his mouth, Sedgwick fell to the ground, mortally wounded. (Source: The Sniper at War, Michael E. Haskew)
Where you cast your gaze, will always impact the outcomes of your life. If you are starring at an accident on the side of the road while driving past, you will hit another car…unless you shift your gaze back to the road in front of you. If you text while driving and fail to shift your gaze back to the road, you will cause an accident. If you are reading something on your phone while walking down a sidewalk, and you fail to look up, you will eventually run into a light pole / fire hydrant / person. So, when our gaze is so set on someone else or on personal circumstances, we will struggle to see the way to which God is leading. We will even struggle to see God Himself. Are we more attentive to our enemies…or our troubles…or the success of someone else – than we are attentive to God’s promises, God’s power, God’s wisdom, and God’s amazing love?
The struggle is real! When the bills are daunting, when the diagnosis is life altering, when the betrayal of trust is revealed, when the hurtful words of others cut deep, and when unspeakable acts are committed against us – it can be a struggle to focus on anything other than our circumstances. We must purposely choose to cast our gaze on Jesus!
Israel has a similar issue in Exodus 14. Their enemies are in hot pursuit. They feel overwhelmingly vulnerable, and their fear is represented in anger. They cannot see past their circumstances.
1. Real Troubles
“Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord”
The children of Israel had a reason to fear. They endured years of captivity and horrible treatment by the very enemies who now pursued them.
The children of Israel displayed their fear. The next phrase in Exodus 14:13 says, “stand still.” To put it simply, they were panicking.
We all have found ourselves in a state of panic at one time or another. Right? Perhaps our situation was not as life threatening or life altering, but we can begin to imagine how the children of Israel felt. Maybe the crock pot never got turned on and you came home to no dinner, and your company was to arrive at any minute. Maybe you suddenly realized your wallet was missing, and all your bank cards and credit cards are now gone. So, not only do you have a lot of phone calls and passwords to change, but you are also left with no money – and you have been on vacation, traveling out of state. One of my panic moments was in college. I was working on my master’s degree. I was using a state-of-the-art word processor/electric typewriter (this was pretty cool tech back in 1992). The assignment was a 12-page paper due the next day. On my last page, the small computer for the word processor froze. I had not saved a single page. I lost the whole paper. I panicked!
The LORD helped them sharpen their focus. After they were told to stand still (stop panicking) Moses tells them to take a look in a specific direction (“stand still and see”). Sometimes we are so focused on our fear that we simply cannot see our Savior. To stop Israel’s downward spiral, Moses told them to stop what they were doing and choose something better. Jesus is always the better place to cast our gaze!
2. Real Solution
“…which he will shew you today:”
The real solution will always be the LORD! Do not miss one simple word in this verse: “today.” There was no time for delay. The enemy pursued them and was fast approaching! Sometimes God chooses to allow our struggle (i.e.— Job, Jeremiah, the execution of John the Baptist, death of Lazarus) and sometimes He chooses to fully deliver us (i.e.--Daniel, Esther, Israelites & the Egyptians). Yet, no matter what God chooses (struggle or deliverance), we can choose to rest in certain truths about God.
In deliverance, God is good. In struggles, God is good.
He is all-wise.
He has not forsaken me.
He cannot love me more than He does right now.
He is unlimited in His power.
No matter if He chooses to allow struggle or deliverance, He is meeting my needs right now. For my true need maybe not be what I believe it to be. My true need may be much greater, much deeper, than I can see it to be.
The next portion of this passage reveals another truth. That is, God’s solution has a lasting quality to it. Exodus 14:13 finishes with this phrase, “shall see them again no more.” When God says He will take care of something – He takes care of it. Sometimes, however, the trouble comes back to us because we sought it out! The Israelites complained that they should have never left. God set them free with miraculous plagues, and yet, they believe it to be all a mistake. God’s way does not promise ease and comfort, but His way does require faith. Remember, this is not a faith in our own abilities, or our connections with other people. It is not a faith in our bank accounts or promised gifts of money in a will. This is a faith in God alone, no matter what (Lk. 1:37; Mark 11:22-24; Heb. 11:1, 6).
3. Real Hope
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
Real hope to real problems begins and ends with the LORD. The Israelites had complained of their circumstances. They had no faith in their ability to overtake the Egyptians, even though they just watched the Lord give their enemies the 10 plagues! Sometimes we can get overwhelmed, too. Then the LORD patiently reminds us that He will finish what He call us to do…but we must trust Him. So, Moses makes it clear – the LORD will fight for you! All the Israelites had to do was to be quiet, stop panicking, and watch the Lord work.
Consider all the things we say today, because we think the odds are stacked against us!
I can’t obey my parents. I can’t love my spouse. I can’t love certain believers – they are against me…unkind…too different!
I can’t witness. I don’t know enough of the Bible. They will make fun of me. They will make me look like a fool. It will take too much of my time. I wouldn’t know what to say.
I can’t pray. I have too many other things to do. I don’t know what to say. Nothing ever happens when I pray, anyway. I need to do something else that will make a bigger difference. I’m a “doer,” not a prayer warrior.
I can’t make Bible study or church attendance a high priority. I need something that will make a big impact on the world around me. Church people are nothing but hypocrites, why would I want to study the Bible? The church is only after my wallet. I will start wanting to spend more time serving God and have to give something else up!
With each of these, there is commonality. With each one, the focus is on self or others, and never on Jesus. Sharpen your gaze on Jesus and you will find the help you seek and hope in the heartache. You will also find love, joy, and peace like none other can provide --and pure motivation for obedience, loving others, witnessing, praying, Bible study, and church attendance will follow.