1. THE SITUATION THEY FACED (No Place to Go – A Great Dilemma)
When Paul was writing the Corinthians about this new discovery – His strength for our weakness – he says: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9). Israel found itself in a particularly weakened position. Yet it would have been difficult to convince Israel that their circumstance was one in which to glory. With the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaohs armies descending, Israel had no place to go.
Let me ask you:
· Did you ever face a situation in which you did not know what to do next or you did not know where to turn?
· Did it seem you had no place to go?
Such was the situation for Israel then (and my I add now with the world situation in the Middle East). She was facing a great dilemma with no place to go. It could be said that her alternatives were limited. She could not go forward. The Red Sea was in front of her. She could not retreat because Pharaohs chariots (the Scripture says there were 600) bearing down upon her. She could not make a lateral move left or right because great mountains were on both sides.
Another question:
· Did you ever feel life had taken away your choices?
· Did you ever feel that the only options that you had were bad options?
It must have seemed so for Israel.
And yet there was something else that contributed to Israel’s weakness. She had expended her energies. She had marched all night long and now she was tired. I think many people are tired today. Our world lives in a very rushed place. The stresses and strains of expended energies leave us like Israel in the midst of a great dilemma with no place to go and little energy left to fight.
Yet Israel, between Pharaohs chariots and the Red Sea waters, was weak for anotherreason. She had displaced her affections. She wasn’t home anymore. She had left her home in Egypt. Even if it wasn’t the kind of home that she had journeyed into the desert with her home on her back. She was homeless. Her affections had been displaced. We hear much about homelessness today. Perhaps there is no situation that is more anxiety producing or more energy sapping than that of homelessness.
Israel found herself facing a great weakness brought about by a great dilemma – no place to go.
Be sure to check the blog posting in a couple of days for 2d Installment – (THE TEMPTATION
WITH WHICH THEY FLIRTED (No Strength Left to Fight – A Great Danger).
Remember, you gain victory by finding His Strength for your Weakness.
