62_Fear not, stand firm

Exodus 14:10-14 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 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. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Fear not, stand firm. These words echo across the centuries, strengthening those who face trials and tribulations. They summon us to trust, not in our circumstances or strength, but in the Lord’s unshakable promises.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who endured the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, often shared an exchange she had with her father as a young girl. One day, as a young girl, she expressed her worry that she would not have the courage to be a martyr. Her father, a wise and faithful man, asked her a simple question: “Corrie, when you are about to take a train, when do I give you the ticket?” She thought for a moment and replied, “Just before I get on the train.” Her father nodded and said, “Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things too. Don’t run ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”

This was one of the truths that anchored Corrie through terrible trials. God’s strength and provision met her at the exact moment of need—not before, but never late. It’s a lesson as old as the story of the Israelites at the Red Sea.

The Israelites, newly freed from the chains of Egyptian bondage, find themselves standing before the mighty flow of the Red Sea. Behind them is the deafening thunder of hooves and the clatter of Pharaoh’s chariots. The same Pharaoh who had grudgingly released them after the devastating plagues is now in furious pursuit. The people are trapped and terrified. Understandably, they scream at Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?”

Fear has a way of making us forget. Just hours earlier, they had witnessed God’s mighty hand against the firstborn of Egypt. It produced an instantaneous turnaround in Pharaoh’s stance, paving the way for their immediate departure from Egypt. They had watched as the Lord spared their firstborn while Egypt mourned its dead. They had seen with wonder the Egyptians loading them with silver and gold, as if to hasten their departure. But now, with the Egyptian army bearing down on them, all those memories were eclipsed by fear.

This is how fear operates. It magnifies our problem and shrinks God’s power. But in our memories, God has given us a marvelous antidote to fear. He calls us to remember—to recall His deeds in the past, and trust in His promises for the future.

The psalmist captures this beautifully: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2). To forget what God has done is to open the door to doubt. But to remember his marvelous acts is to nurture faith. The same God who promised to deliver the Israelites from Egypt fulfilled his word. It was he who had also promised to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey – not to abandon them before the hosts of the enemy.

The disciples of Jesus learned this one day on the Sea of Galilee. The Lord had said, “Let us go to the other side.” As they sailed across, a sudden fierce storm arose, threatening to capsize their boat. Gripped by fear, they woke Jesus, almost accusingly: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus rebuked the wind and waves with a calm word. He then turned to His disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Their fear had blinded them to His presence and His promise. If He said they would cross to the other side, no storm could prevent it.

God’s promises are sure. He has not promised us a life free from trouble, but He has promised His presence and His sustaining grace. Jesus’ words ring true: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Confidence in His promises enables us to move forward, even when the way seems uncertain.

Fear not, stand firm. This command does not entail passive waiting but an active trust. Moses tells the Israelites to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. There are moments in life when all we must do is stand and watch as God works. But when the Lord says, “Go forward,” we must move in faith. For the Israelites, the command to move forward meant stepping into the path God had opened in the sea. The waters stood like walls, and the ground beneath their feet was dry. It was a miracle, but they had to walk through it.

Fear often tempts us to retreat or remain paralyzed. The Israelites’ first instinct when faced with the sea was to go back to Egypt. The familiar oppression they had just escaped was preferable to the unfamiliar security of God’s promise. How often do we, when faced with challenges, long for the comfort of our old life, even if we were enslaved to sin in those days? Fear whispers that obedience is too costly and that safety lies in compromise. But the Lord calls us to a thoroughgoing trust: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25).

In contrast to fear, boldness comes from knowing that our lives are secure in God’s hands. Paul, during his storm-tossed voyage to Rome, stayed calm and calmed others with his confidence in God’s word. Peter, awaiting execution in prison, slept peacefully, trusting in the Lord’s word that he would die in his old age. True boldness is not recklessness; it is the unshakable confidence that our times are in God’s hands and that no power can thwart His purposes for us.

The story of the Red Sea crossing also reminds us of the power of what we surrender to God. Moses held an ordinary shepherd’s staff in his hand. But when God told him to lift it up over the waters, they parted. In God’s hands, it became an instrument of deliverance. Any ordinary thing in our lives can become God’s tool if he wishes. All we need to do is obey him in using it according to his instructions.

Pharaoh’s fate highlights the danger of a hardened heart. The king and his army pursued the Israelites closely, entering the sea despite having no reason to expect that God would keep the way open for them. Their arrogance and defiance led to their destruction. Proverbs warns, “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” (Proverbs 29:1). A hardened heart refuses to recognize God’s authority and resists His grace, the end being death.

The Red Sea crossing demonstrated more than physical deliverance. God began to shape a people who would trust God wholeheartedly. Trials are God’s refining tools, producing precious faith. Peter encourages persecuted believers with these words: “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).

And so, as we face our own overwhelming challenges, fears, or uncertainties—let us “fear not, stand firm.” Remember His faithfulness, trust His promises, and take the next step forward. When fear threatens to paralyze us, let us remember: the Lord fights for us. The same God walks with us today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Let us live with the assurance that no matter the storm, the pursuit, or the obstacle, God’s power and love are sufficient. He who began a good work in us will carry it to completion. Trust Him, obey His leading, and stand firm. God bless.