Crossing the sea of crisis into freedom

When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen   went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.    Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord,     for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” Exodus 15:19-21

Can you remember back to the time when you asked the Lord to be your friend, savior and guide for
your life?

For many of us it happened in response to a crisis or some kind of life-challenging event that we felt we couldn't handle alone. Then  Christ was there, holding out his arms to us and we fled into his embrace as he came alongside to help, comfort, forgive and love us through the crisis.

The crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites presents a wonderful Old Testament picture of our salvation experience. The Hebrews were enslaved and beaten down by the Egyptians. Just when their morale ebbed to its lowest point, God sent a deliverer - Moses -  at the time of their greatest crisis. He organized and mobilized them. God fought for them, coming against their enemies until Pharaoh relinquished his hold on the people. Then their God led them into the wilderness away from their life of slavery and into a time of learning how to be truly free. Not only did he help them escape their captivity, he put a barrier between them and their enemies - the Red Sea.

Can you imagine how it must have felt for them to stand on the opposite shore of the Red Sea and watch as the bodies of their enemies washed up on the far shore after God sent his punishment crashing down on their heads? They experienced freedom for the first time in their lives and they celebrated all night.

I experienced that when I was 8 years old, one night after an abusive experience. My Sunday School teacher had told me that Jesus loved me. Somehow, he was the one I thought about that night in my crisis time -  when my little-girl heart was hurt and confused.  I just knew Jesus was standing at the foot of my bed, holding his arms open wide for me. I ran into his arms that night and have held his hand ever since. He became my big brother, my protector, my Savior and the guide for my journey.
What was it like for you when you first tasted the forgiveness and freedom from your sins?  I'd love to hear about your salvation experience, just leave a comment below.

If you haven't experienced this freedom yet, it can be yours today. Jesus is standing there in the midst of your crisis  waiting for you to call to him. He will forgive you, comfort, love and guide you on an unforgettable journey into an eternal relationship with him.

God bless you!
Bonnie