...thank You, Lord...thank You...

“5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed towards the people, and they said, ‘What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?’ 6 So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; 7 he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, “Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians”? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’  13 But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again.  14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.’

19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord  drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.’

The Pursuers Drowned

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses” Exodus 14:5-31.

There have been many moments in my own life when the Lord has saved my life. This is why I really and truly resonate with verse 30: 

“…the Lord saved Israel…” (verse 30). Maybe you were surprised by what God did for you. Maybe you were relieved! Maybe you were overwhelmed how God pulled you out of the mud you were sinking in. Whatever the circumstances, you knew God alone saved you. It couldn’t have been anyone else or any other explanation! it was just God.

That’s what Israel experienced when God brought them through the Dead Sea. 

But I want to put a challenge on the table for you today: When you go through a difficult time in your life, and the final result is not what you wished for, do you you have the courage to thank God for getting you through it, even though it was painful and not the result you could have ever wished for?

Take time today in prayer and quietly sit in the presence of the Lord — and give thanks to the Lord! Just give thanks. Consider all of the times He has saved you. Just give God thanks! Remember, you don’t have to understand why you were struggling and suffering so much. All you need to do is turn your face to God! Open up your heart and let Him in — and then give God thanks! Just give Him thanks.

Let me close with one of the greatest Biblical examples of a prayer of thanks to God:

 46 And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord,

 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.     Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,     and holy is his name.

 50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

 51 He has shown strength with his arm;     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,     to Abraham and to his descendants for ever” Luke 1:46-55.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.