
From Slavery to Freedom
The story of the Israelites passing through the Red Sea is one of the great deliverance stories of the Bible. In this act, God shepherds his people from slavery to freedom. And this action serves as a useful paradigm for us to understand why God allows us to experience spiritual challenges. Israel finds itself stuck between the Egyptian army and the Red sea. In other words, God has put them between an untenable situation and an impossible escape. He does this so that the Israelites can witness his power to save them. Afterwards, not one of them can doubt that God is responsible for their great escape.
Our experience can be very similar to Israel’s. At times when get stuck between untenable situations and impossible escapes. But when God overcomes the obstacles that trap us, we can clearly see that he’s responsible. It’s in these places that we get to know God, his love and his power to save. As we walk with God, we’ll encounter these kinds of crises. Coming to faith is one such example. We experience God’s impossible deliverance when we learn to forgive (especially the big stuff) and to receive forgiveness. We experience it when we learn to let go of our possessions so we can live generously. Just like the Israelites, God wants to lead us from slavery to freedom.
Questions for Reflection
- Where do I feel caught between an untenable situation and an impossible solution? What might God be trying to show me?
- Have I seen God deliver me from impossible situations in the past? What did I learn about in the process?