My strength and my song ...

Exodus 15
A SONG OF DELIVERANCE

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD:

"I will sing to the LORD,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.
The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father's God, and I will exalt him!
The LORD is a warrior;
Yahweh* is his name!
Pharaoh's chariots and army
he has hurled into the sea.
The finest of Pharaoh's officers
are drowned in the Red Sea.*
The deep waters gushed over them;
they sank to the bottom like a stone.

"Your right hand, O LORD,
is glorious in power.
Your right hand, O LORD,
smashes the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty,
you overthrow those who rise against you.
You unleash your blazing fury;
it consumes them like straw.
At the blast of your breath,
the waters piled up!
The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

"The enemy boasted, 'I will chase them
and catch up with them.
I will plunder them
and consume them.
I will flash my sword;
my powerful hand will destroy them.'
But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.

"Who is like you among the gods, O LORD—
glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
performing great wonders?
You raised your right hand,
and the earth swallowed our enemies.

"With your unfailing love you lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your might, you guide them
to your sacred home.
The peoples hear and tremble;
anguish grips those who live in Philistia.
The leaders of Edom are terrified;
the nobles of Moab tremble.
All who live in Canaan melt away;
terror and dread fall upon them.
The power of your arm
makes them lifeless as stone
until your people pass by, O LORD,
until the people you purchased pass by.
You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain—
the place, O LORD, reserved for your own dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established.
The LORD will reign forever and ever!"

What would your song be? How would you worship if you just saw locusts, frogs, darkness, blood, and your slave master's son die? If you just saw a huge pillar of fire keeping the Egyptians away from your children, how would you worship? If you just walked through a sea with starfish, and dead fish all around you, how would you worship? If you just saw a couple of dolphins swim by your very own water wall as you are holding your son's hand and walking, how would you worship?

The Israelites just had so many amazing things happen to them. This is how a couple of them worshiped. They made a song up with lyrics. They praised God for so many things. Sometimes all God is really wanting from his children is devotion. He wants to know that they are giving it their all. The Israelites were so excited to be leaving Egypt. God helped them through that situation. They worshiped.

How are you worshiping right now? Today was amazing. Our time of song and prayer and just being together was amazing. Being in the presence of God changes everything. Make a list of all of the things that keep you from living fully for Christ. Now make a list of all of the things that God has done in your life lately. Could you sing a song about it? Are you allowing God to deliver you?
God is longing to be in relationship with you. He is calling you right now to a life-long style of worship. Read this Psalm over again to yourself, and think of yourself as one of the Israelites on this journey. God revealed himself to them? How are you seeing God today? Worship is one of the main ways to truly fill our cups. Whether it is corporate, or individual, God is changing lives as you read this. Are you one of them?

Jason

Where there's no smoke, is there still fire?

"By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people." - Exodus 13:21-22 (NIV)

When the Exodus began, God gave his people a tangible vision of his presence (although he chose not to reveal himself as he really is). This continued all the way through the wilderness wanderings and all the way up to Moses' parting from his people:

"Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent." - Deuteronomy 31:15-16 (NIV)

This was not a small matter to the Israelites, because centuries later, it still remained a symbol of God's compassion for his people:

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take." - Nehemiah 9:19-21

What is remarkable to me is that you don't read about the pillar in the story of Joshua. When did the pillar of cloud leave? When God makes his exit, it is frequently a big deal (just look at his exit in Ezekiel 10 or Acts 1). But the scriptures never tell us when the pillar of cloud left. Don't you imagine that God's people had to wonder where God was? Don't you think that their children would be asking about it? I personally think that the pillar may have ceased to appear when the manna and quail stopped. After that, God's providence through the land became the symbol of his continual presence.

I believe that since then God has required incrementally more faith of his people. It was easier for those who had seen the mighty acts of God in the wilderness and the taking of Canaan than it would be for those who came later. The prophets, despite the things that they heard and saw looked forward to the things that would happen in the time of the Messiah: "For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it" Luke 10.24 (NIV). And finally, Jesus made it clear that "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" John 20:29 (NIV).

Yet, at the same time, God has given his written word as evidence and the Spirit as a Comforter to allow us to maintain a faith that glorify him as surely (if not as largely) as Joshua's did. God grant us a childlike faith in his presence: simple, loving, and dependent.

Grace and peace,

Ron