The Master Strategist

Have you ever coached or played a team sport? Or perhaps you planned a major event such as a conference or wedding. Every detail required practice or planning. Some of us are better at these things than others. Did you ever consider that our God is the Master Strategist? The Bible records major events of history—and even records the future that’s been methodically planned.

Whenever I read Exodus 14, I get the same sense of awe I had the first time. Our God positioned all the key participants while they were completely oblivious to what was coming next. Every detail had been planned; every scenario had been covered. How great is our God!

In team sports, the coach works to prepare his team for all the possibilities. I remember being on a local swim team. Our coach made sure we swam lap after lap in preparation for the competitions. He tested us to determine our strengths and weaknesses.

Our God knows all about us. He knew Moses and the Israelites as well as Pharaoh and the Egyptians. More importantly, He had a plan that no one could have imagined. He had prepared for this historical moment.

Predictably, Israel feared for their lives when they saw the fast-approaching Egyptian army. Moses gave sage advice:

Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.” (Exodus 14:13 ESV)

God had already prepared Moses for this day through his execution of the 10 plagues while in Egypt. Those were like practice sessions for the big day.

May I be honest? At my first swim meet, I was terrified. It was amazing that I swam at all. I made a big splash when I dove into the pool. Once in the water, I swam, just like I had been practicing. God is good! And in case you really want to know, I did not win the race (shocker).

Moses had a staff in his hand. He carried the same staff that turned into a snake-eating snake. God did not ask Moses to do anything he could not do. Moses stretched out his rod over the water. Afterward, the angel of God shifted his position and went behind the people as a buffer before the Egyptians. Moses’ obedience set up the miraculous events that followed.

Pharaoh thought he had the victory but Exodus 14:28 tells us that not one of them remained. And in verse 29, we learn:

“But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”

Do you need a miracle today? What do you have in your hand? Listen for and obey God’s instruction, and you just might see a miracle too!

Let us pray: Lord, take us by the hand and lead us to our Promised Land, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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Scripture is quoted from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.