“The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”
This is a portion of the song of praise that the Israelites sing after God parts the Red Sea and destroys Pharaohs army…. The song celebrates God’s strength, and protection. As I read this, I have mixed emotions. Parting the water was a HUGE miracle… and the people dance and sing praises to God. They exalt His name and praise His power and faithfulness.
But God knows, what I know… and that is, that in the next chapter, just a few days later, they will again be grumbling and complaining … In the shadow of this undeniable miracle, they will begin to doubt and complain because of the perceived hardship of their lives. How can God be honored by their singing when He knows they will soon be complaining? … I tend to harshly judge their fickleness as I read through Exodus… but then I catch a glimpse in the mirror.
I too have a short memory when it comes to the times I have been delivered. I quickly forget the occasions that I have been miraculously rescued by God, narrowly escaping disaster… Yet, I have the memory of an elephant regarding the times I have even slightly suffered. This makes me spiritually unstable. How can God be honored by my praises, when He knows I am one lost car key, or long red light, or restless night, away from complaining and grumbling.
I need a new mindset… or better, a new “heartset”… I need to remember the “Red Seas” that have been parted in my life … and find joy and confidence in the faithfulness of God. I should build monuments to His trustworthiness that remind me daily of past rescues, understanding that godly joy makes me strong.
Without hope we perish, so train your mind to praise… Reject self-pity, it is poison. Have confidence in the faithfulness of God and create habits of gratefulness for His protection. I love Keith Chancey’s quote, “You can’t make it tough enough for me to complain”. Unfortunately, I love to quote it, more than I love to live it.
Rejoice in the Lord Always…
"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope." – Helen Keller
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