Have you ever been at a situation or place in your life that was one of those, "If I was driving, we wouldn't be here!" kind? You think, "I know this has to be a mistake. Surely, God had someplace else in mind." These situations and circumstances are definitely not where you would choose to be, if you were in the pilot's seat. You think the Devil must be running the show, because you're looking Goliath in the face!

Previously, we were told that God did not lead Israel on the

quickest and best route from Egypt to the promised land, because He did not want to expose them to attack from the Philistines, lest they get scared and run back to Egypt. Now, HE puts them where they are going to be hemmed in, with no place to run, and tells them Pharaoh is going to come after them, because, HE is going to harden Pharaoh's heart. Who put them into this scary and dark situation; into a place where there is no possible way out? GOD DID! When the disciples asked Jesus, in the presence of a young blind man; "who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?"', Jesus answered, "neither one. His blindness is for the glory of God" (John 9:2-3) Then HE healed him. Now, in our Exodus passage, we find the people were following God's leading,

and HE lead them to a place that was, literally, "between the Devil and the deep blue sea." The idea that this bad situation, like that of the blind man cited, was instigated and planned by God's thought runs counter to a lot of theology we hear, but, read it for your self. It says what it says.

God said, of, and in, both these situations, that HE would be glorified. In other words, it's not all about us. Remember how Satan got onto Job's case; God brought him to the Devil's attention. Notice, in both the exodus and Job's situation, though God lead them into the path of the evil, HE then stepped around and put Himself between the attacker and the attacked. I'm sure the blind man would tell us that sustained him during his time of infirmity, if we could talk to him. The point I want us to see is; God sometimes leads us into the "valley of the shadow of death," but HE goes there with us and HE will lead us out when He's done what He set out to do. I said it before, and I say it again; "it's not all about us." God will take care of us and HE will be glorified. Follow Jesus, and trust Him to know what HE's doing.

You might try something different; instead of asking questions like, "why me?", or, "what are we doing here?" ask, 'How can God be glorified in and through this?" Remember that Scripture tells us, "the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the earth, looking for ways to show 'Himself strong on our behalf'' (2 Chronicles 16:9-emphasis mine) Ask Him to glorify Himself in that dilemma you're in. Since HE looks for ways to do that, you're asking His will. 1st John 5 tells us we have this confidence; "if we ask anything according to His will HE heareth us: and If we know that HE hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” Who knows? You may get to see God do something neat, like parting the sea or healing the blind.

God is the LORD. HE knows "what we're doing here." HE also knows what HE's doing here. Remember, we're with Him. Don't say, "look at how big Goliath is compared to us!" but say, "Look at how little Goliath is, compared to God!" God brought us to where we are, and God will lead us out. Great is the Name of the LORD!

                                          Ben