God’s Driving School (Our Blueprint for Success)

Scripture:   Exodus 14

In 1972, the year I graduated from Eastern High School, I recall how excited I was to get my driver’s license!  To make sure I passed the driver’s test, I went to the Easy Method Driving School.  I had eight lessons at $18.00 per lesson.  I read through the manual several times so that when I drove the Easy Method car, I could apply what I learned from their book.  A month prior to taking the test, I purchased my first car — a Chevrolet Vega, which only cost $1,972.  Can you imagine purchasing a new car for that amount?  When it was time to take the test, I used the Easy Method car, because my car didn’t have power steering.  I passed the test because I followed what was in the driver’s manual and applied what my instructor taught me!

God has a Driving School and/or directions from His Word for the Israelites and us as Christians, which is a blueprint for our success in life.    

TURN (Exodus 14:1-4):  
There was a direct way to the Promised Land, but God told Moses to lead the Israelites away from it.  He told them where to TURN and encamp. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order for  Pharaoh  to pursue the Israelites — who needed to learn yet another lesson so that they would  consistently/completely obey/trust God.  When we make turns in our lives, it may be because of our bad choices or because we are aligning with God’s direction.  Therefore, we have be careful that the turns/changes we make in our lives are directed by the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6).  If not, there can be lifelong frustrating consequences.  

STOP (Exodus 24:10-14):  
The Israelites were so afraid and confused when they saw the chariots/army of Pharaoh pursuing them and the Red Sea in front of them.  They had no place to go. God told Moses to tell the people to STOP— stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.  Standing still or to stop doesn’t mean to give up, doubt, complain, or to no longer trust God.  To stand still or stop meant for them to stop trying to figure out what would come next, to realize/believe that God was in control.  They were to stand still in trusting God, praying to God — expecting to see their deliverance!!  The same applies for us.  Sometimes it is easy to believe in the deliverance in situations for others, but it is hard for us to have high expectations in situations in our lives

GO (Exodus 14:15-31):
Then God told Moses to tell people to go forward.  This instruction required Moses and the Israelites to have faith — even though they didn’t know exactly what the outcome would be.  The result was that they walked across the Red Sea on dry land.  When Pharaoh’s army were still trying to pursue the Israelites, the water engulfed them — and they drowned.

Are you approaching a  “Red Sea”  now?  Don’t give up.  If you don’t know what to do, stand still—stop.  If you know what to do, do it — turn or go!  

Prayer:  Dear Lord:  Thank You for directing my path.  Help me to be so in tuned to You that I  make the correct turns, stop when You want me to, and go at Your appointed times.  All this I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

(by Marsha Williams)