And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Exodus 14:13-14 ESV
Imagine tasting freedom from slavery, and then suddenly cornered by the Red Sea in front of you and your armed enemies behind. Facing a dead end, the enemy closing in, and no escape. Only a miracle could save you.
The Israelites escaping from Egypt with Moses as their leader babbled, “it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” (Exodus 14:12).
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:13-14 ESV).
God rescued the Israelites by dividing the Red Sea, so the people walked across on dry ground (Exodus 14:22). The Egyptians chased them, but “not one of them survived” as God said would happen (Exodus 14:27-28).
The Chosen—Red Sea Moments
Not sure who coined the phrase “Red Sea Moment”, but Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen, knows it well.
His wife Amanda describes three miraculous events during filming of The Chosen as Red Sea moments.
One miracle occurred during filming on the lake, delayed an entire day because of thick fog. As Dallas told everyone to leave for the day, a gust of wind blew the fog away in seconds, and they completed 12 hours of filming in 3 hours. The crew noticed the sun reflected off the clouds and extended the day.
Dallas learned there is no better place to be than surrendered and helpless, with God in control.
Have you ever been backed into a corner, with no way out and no other choice than to surrender and trust God? Miracles happened not only in the Bible; God is working miracles every day.
How do we face Red Sea moments?
Recognize Red Sea moments
First, recognize Red Sea moments while they are happening and realize God puts us there on purpose, so we will learn to trust Him.
Are you dealing with an impossible situation in your life? Thank God in advance for what He will do and trust He will act.
My Red Sea moment
I had a Red Sea moment while performing duties as executor of my mom’s estate during the pandemic of 2020.
When my mother died, I had to get money back from the nursing home to pay the lawyer and close the estate. They owed us almost the entire month’s room and board paid in advance. However, it was difficult to get things done in the pandemic.
It seemed like a dead-end. Many phone calls with no results; no one returned my calls. I received a check that was incorrect. Because of the lockdown, I couldn’t meet with anyone in person.
I felt powerless to solve the problem except to sit outside every morning and pray for wisdom and God’s help
Surrender to God
Second, when no solution is humanly possible, surrender to God and learn to trust Him. Remember, scripture applies to us too, when Moses said, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
I called the nursing home again and asked for the billing person. The receptionist paged her, and I waited. And waited. Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar southern drawl saying, “This is Brittany.” I said, “who are you?” And Brittany answered, “I am the Executive Director. I picked up the call because I noticed you were on hold for a long time.” She guaranteed she would contact corporate billing about the refund.
Glorify God
Finally, realize only God could have done it. Not coincidence, fate, luck, or our hard work. Only God performs miracles, so we give Him the glory. Only God directed Brittany to pick up the phone!
God told Moses, “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen” (Exodus 14:18 ESV).
Only God can do the impossible. So, give Him the praise and glory for the miracle. And trust Him more next time.
When Brittany, the Executive Director of the nursing home, answered the phone, I thanked God for answering my prayers for help. When I got the check a few weeks after our discussion, I praised God for His provision.
God provides Red Sea moments to teach us to trust Him. When confronted with a Red Sea moment, recognize it, surrender, and give God the glory.
I’m in a Red Sea moment and through praise and trust will see my sea part.
Gail, I am praying for you. Keep trusting God and praying!