But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. (Ex. 14:4)
So there it is. That’s the reason for all of this. For the running, and the chasing, and the heart hardening. For being cornered against the sea. For calling out to God for help. For all of it. All this was so that God would be glorified, even through a thug like Pharaoh, and that the then-greatest nation on earth would see that there is One more powerful than themselves. We can imagine Pharaoh watching his vast army swallowed by the sea and wondering, “Why me?” And we can imagine God replying, “It’s not about you.”
It’s not about you when “people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of” Christ (see Matt. 5:11). It’s so that God can reveal his glory through you. It’s not about you when political ideologies wax and wane or when nations rise and fall. It’s so that the most powerful on earth can be reminded, once again, that there is a God in heaven. It’s not about you when tragedy strikes close. That, too, is an opportunity for God to reveal himself to you, and for you to be swallowed up in his glory.
Pharaoh’s problem was that he let his wealth and power convince him that everything existed for his glory. That’s a problem many of us still face.
Notice how vast the world is and give glory to God.
Lawrence W. Wilson lives in rural Indiana where he enjoys cycling, yardwork, and reading a wide assortment of books.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
