In the Desert

Sometimes I get so discouraged by seemingly impossible obstacles. I have a feeling I am not alone. :)

Last week I hit a log in the road. In the middle of hills, it came up so fast, my only choices were hitting oncoming traffic, a huge snow drift, or take my chances with the firewood. Of course, I chose the wood. The kids and I were safe, but my car was a total loss. Depressed and discouraged when I found out insurance wouldn't cover a penny, I was like the Israelites in Exodus 14:

"Look what you've done by bringing us out of Egypt! Didn't we tell you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone! Let us go on serving the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 

Even though we were a "slave" to my car, I was frustrated and panicked, just like the Egyptians. Yes, we needed it to last another 4 years, but it desperately needed new tires, was due for an oil change, had almost 200,000 miles on it, and needed other mechanical stuff done to it. But I was frustrated because "slavery" sounded a whole lot better than "dying in the desert".

I went to bed that night broken, but in the morning, as soon as my feet hit the floor, I was completely at peace and utterly CONVINCED that God was going to give us a car.

Last night that became reality, and this morning as I was reading the Bible, Exodus 14 literally came to life for me. In verse 14 this is how Moses responds to the people after they cried out in frustration in the midst of their seemingly impossible obstacle:

Moses answered the people, “Don’t be afraid! Stand still, and see what the Lord will do to save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again. The Lord is fighting for you! So be still!” 

I had to be still and TRUST that God was fighting for us. I knew we did not have a penny to spare to put into another vehicle. I didn't see any direction that we could go. But God just told me to let go and be still. Why? Because God was about to do something amazing. So amazing that everyone would know it was ONLY through Him! Just like in verses 17 and 18 in Exodus 14, after God tells Moses he is going to part the waters for the Israelites to walk on dry land, He says:

"I will receive honor because of what I will do...The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." 

We have a brand new, 2014 Chevy Cruze diesel car (unbelievable!), with little to no impact on our monthly commitments. We no longer have financial concerns over the issues we would have had to deal with on my old car. And, through refinancing a couple things, we actually will be SAVING money in interest!!!

Um, Wow. God is the only one who gets the glory in our situation. Not us.

And God wants to do the same in your life! He wants to bring you out of "slavery" and into the "desert" so that His name can be praised!!!!!!! Is the “desert” fun? No…it's seemingly impossible to bear at times. Is it scary to see the “enemy” pressing in, with no apparent way out? Terrifying, actually.

But it's WORTH it…because God is just THAT amazing!