Not long ago, as I was working on a project, I started to feel those icky overwhelming feelings well up. Angst was causing my chest to tighten and I was about to explode. The Lord had already been training me about peace over anxiety, so it was the perfect moment to ask Him to still the storm beginning to explode in my heart.
Of all things, at that moment, I was reminded about when the Hebrews crossed the Red Sea. The project I was facing was a Red Sea moment for me. It felt huge. A personal miracle was about to take place beyond me. It was God’s doing to place me where he had me. And yet all the while I was beginning to feel concern over the seemingly “millions” of other things, swirling around my head. This often happens to me. I have difficulty differentiating priority needs. Like Martha with Jesus, I was concerned about many things, yet I longed to be Mary, and just sit at Jesus’s feet, meditate and write with passion.
What struck me about the Red Sea was the idea that God didn’t “just” divide the sea so the Hebrews could cross on dry land. I say the word “just” in quotes, because this was an incredible miracle. His people were the priority, and he provided a safe passage to the other side. He also destroyed the Egyptian army chasing them, causing the sea to flood over them afterwards.
This is where my thoughts went that day: He was taking care of probably more than a million other things at once with that miracle. Didn’t he also take care of the sea creatures, making sure not to ruin the ecosystem? We don’t see this in scripture, and we certainly don’t know what God did with all the animals and fish. Yet I don’t think God would have destroyed thousands of creatures both seen and unseen unless it served purpose otherwise. (Yes, I know there are other instances in the Bible that state things went crazy with creatures, such as the plagues prior to this event. And I am probably speculating here.) The point is, God was taking care of all the little details beyond what we consider. That day, with all the activity swirling about me, I could trust that if God provided an opportunity to work on a possible life-changing project, then he would take care of the other details as well.
What the scriptures do say is that the Lord knew about the Hebrews’ reactions and fears. He chose to have them take a long route instead of through Philistine country so they wouldn’t have to face war. (Exodus 13:17) He also wanted them to see his leading powerfully and clearly, so sent a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. (Exodus 13:21-22) (Can you imagine what that would have looked like?!) If you continue reading the story, you can see there are several incredible details as God worked out his determined purpose in them and for them.
God knows how to line up events with his people’s best interest in mind, including us! He will guide us accordingly. Knowing the sea creatures were probably covered in the Red Sea at its parting, I decided to call my to-do list “sea creatures” for that day and the rest of the week. God was taking care of all that was important and I could let my heart be still in faith and trust.
Is there an area of your life that overwhelms you? Every little detail in this world is in God’s care, especially in the care of you. Let God guide you through what is most important and trust he’s handling the rest.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,whose hope is in the Lord his God,
the maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the Lord, who remains faithful forever.
Psalm 146:5-6, NIV 1984
For further reading and study see Exodus 13:17-14:31 regarding the crossing of the Red Sea and Luke 10:38-42 for the story about Mary and Martha.
