I always try to give my Sunday School class a simple answer to the question, "What did you learn in Sunday School?" or, "What was Sunday School about?" This week the answer was "Hold!" delivered with a raspy intensity. One of the guys in the class got it about right. We were looking at the Exodus from Egypt. The Israelites were up against the Red Sea and all the chariots in Egypt, sent out out by Pharaoh, whose hard heart had only appeared to soften for a few minutes after the death, not only of his first-born son, but of thousands of others.
It looks like Moses critics are right. "Why did you bring us out here to die? We were better off as slaves in Egypt." Here is Moses reply:
"Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent." (Exodus 14:13-14)
Moses speech sounds a lot like a line in Psalm 46, "Cease striving and know that I am God;" (v. 10)
The Apostle Paul applies the truth to our praying, "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes forus with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)
There are times when not only is there nothing we can do, but when doing nothing is the right thing to do. That is, if--if we are trusting the Lord.
I'm praying for a friend right now, who needs to hold.
Oh, "hold!" comes from that scene in Braveheart. At Stirling the English are charging with "Heavy Horse" Wallace's forces are all on foot. Their one hope is to hold until precisely the right time.
Holding is hard, but when we cease striving and stand still, we get to see the slavation of the Lord.
HOLD!
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