Scripture
Our focus verse for holiness today comes from Exodus 14:15-16, “Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”
Background & Application
You remember the story of the Israelites and Moses leading them out of their bondage in Egypt. Moses returns to Egypt after working as a shepherd for forty years in Midian, and he tells Pharaoh that God wants him to let His people go. But Pharaoh refuses, and not until it costs him his son does he finally relent and allow them to leave. But he quickly changes his mind and gives chase to the Israelites, catching up to them as they are camped by the sea. So now, Moses and the Israelites have a real problem. God has delivered them from years of bondage and abuse, and shown His mighty power to them in a real, tangible way. But Pharaoh is back, and he’s got his army with him. Suddenly, living in bondage looks a lot better than dying in the desert. And our pursuit of holiness can face this challenge, too. God leads us to freedom from one problem and takes us to the Red Sea of another. He gets us across on dry ground and we find a desert of pain or doubt on the other side. His manna comes down to ease our worries and then there’s no water to be found. And finally the waters of grace flow from our Rock and there stand the walls of Jericho, robbing our peace yet again. God’s holiness doesn’t come easy. When you’re dead in sin, you’ve got a long way to go. But Jesus can take us there. Each step with Him leads directly to the promised land. So walk, and grow in holiness.
Charge
As we go today, give to God the problems of your desert. Let’s confess our failings, and thank Him for never failing us. And thank Him that He wants us to be holy, and ask Him to keep us from complaining about the way He is doing it.
