I cannot remember the first time I read (or more likely heard) about Moses and the Israelites’ between the Egyptians and the Red Sea. I’m pretty sure, however, that if I was old enough to think this deeply at that time, I was probably on the edge of my seat. A first-time reader of this passage would probably figure those Israelites were out of luck. They’d escaped from slavery, but they weren’t going anywhere. With a raging sea in front of them and a well-charioted army behind them, I’m sure I was nodding my head at the cries of God’s chosen people.

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” Exodus 14:10-12

They were in a panic. I picture them crying, running around in circles, trying to find somewhere to hide. Maybe they were trying to figure out what, if anything, they could do. They weren’t going to stand there and let these warriors slaughter them.

But that’s not what God wanted them to do. He wanted His children to do the least logical thing of all time when confronted with an insurmountable obstacle.

He told them to stay put – to do nothing.

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14

Be still: stop panicking. Stop complaining about your situation. Stop planning a strategy. Stop reviewing your options. Stop looking for places to hide. Stop “doing something” – doing ANYTHING.

This is not, of course, the only place where God’s people are told to be still. One of my favorite instances of this is in Psalm 46. And look at this translation from the New American Standard Version.

Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.

Be still. CEASE STRIVING. All the striving in the world will get us nowhere, for it is only in GOD’S strength that anything can be accomplished.

And as the Israelites learned at the edge of the Red Sea, it was only after they stopped working and were still that God fought for them—and was victorious.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward  it, and the LORD swept them into the sea.The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. Exodus 14:21-28

And He will fight for you too, if you will only be still.

Heavenly Father, when will I ever learn to just be still in Your presence instead of worrying, planning, and trying to fix everything? Help me, Lord, to cease striving and trust You to fight my battles for me. And Lord, as the Israelites did, help me to praise Your might and power when I do see you work in and for me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

All scripture, unless stated otherwise, is from the New International Version