To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Ps. 136:13–14 KJV)
One of my college friends compared another student’s struggle with major depression to a flood. The idea of a flood evoked the sense of drowning, crushed under unexplainable pressure with no hope on the horizon. Water is an effective metaphor for this disorder as the mental strain can consume much time and energy. This particular student often struggled to achieve academic standards and to get through matters of everyday life.
I cannot help thinking about that water metaphor as I read about the Red Sea being split. The Israelites thought the sea would cause their deaths, but God divided the water in two. Any obstacle we face, whatever size or shape or substance, can be made into a pathway. Notice the next verse. God didn’t remove it; he led them through it. The water was still there, standing on both sides of them. He saved them from it, but he didn’t rid them of it. Instead, he used it. What they thought was their hindrance, leading to their destruction, became a pathway that led to their freedom. And then God used the very same object in the destruction of their enemies.
What impossible obstacle are you facing? Some problems overwhelm our thoughts, dominate our daily routines, and melt away our hope. But our God is powerful enough to turn those very things into a tool for our deliverance.
Trust God to make a way through your problems.
Debbie Shaw is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and resides in North Carolina with her husband, Lee. She enjoys gardening, painting, reading, and coffee.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
