He iS iN CoNTRoL

Well, I have been back now for a little over a week, and it's crazy how life here gets back to normal so quickly.  Last year, when I came back I remember the quick culture clash of reading facebook and learning about everyone else's life and being hit with feelings of jealousy and envy really quickly, feelings that I hadn't had since I left this place.  After being gone for over a month, upon my return, I now am overwhelmed with busy-ness, knowing that in a few weeks, that will only hit me more.  I already find myself having to really figure out when in my schedule I put reading and prayer, something that was really easy over the last few months.  Lord help me to have energy and to continue to desire to be in your Word every day -- especially in the mornings, as it really focuses my day.  Also, I am stretched with thinking about how I spend my money and how I can use those funds to benefit others instead of myself.  This is something that weighs on my heart a lot, but that I especially have been thinking about since I returned this year.  May God take that part of my life in His hands.

I am hoping to more consistently blog about what I am learning through my daily readings.  This past summer, I finished Acts, Romans and led a Bible Study on Philippians.  Then, I started reading Genesis.  Currently, I am in Exodus and am thus reading about Moses.  The overall story of Moses strikes me as very interesting and useful because over and over again, Moses' distrust, unfaithfulness, fear and doubt come out through his conversations with God.  But, God is faithful and has Moses, his life, and His people in his hand.  While reading Exodus, I am reminded over and over again that God is in control.

Right now, I am in chapter 14 where Moses and the other Israelites are in the desert after having fled Pharoah and the Egyptians who had them enslaved.  They flee.  God tells Moses to camp out near the sea because He is planning to harden Pharoah's heart and make him doubt why he has let them go.  God tells Moses not to worry, though, because all that happens will end up bringing glory to Him.  And in verse 31, it does.  Moses raises his staff and the sea parts.  The Israelites escape on dry land and the Egyptians are swallowed up by the sea.  Even the Egyptians realize that God is fighting for the Isrealites and have fear (v. 25). 

When reading this, some key points that I want to remember are:

First, God told Moses in verses 13 and 14, "Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today."  He also said, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."  During difficult times, I need to remember that I need to trust in the Lord and let Him fight my battles.  It's not that I cannot do it on my own, but rather that I cannot do it at all.  I need to surrender all of my worries, all of my battles to Him. 

Secondly, we should trust in God's power and realize that everything that happens God has control over and ultimately, He will be glorified.  In this part of Exodus, the Egyptians feared (v. 25) and the Israelites both feared and put their trust in the Lord because of what they had seen (v. 31).  I pray that I continually fear Him and trust Him and realize the power that He has -- more than I can ever imagine.

Thanks be to God!