Who is like you, O HaShem, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (15:11)
The above verse is in the middle of a wonderful song of praise that Moses and the people of Israel sang to HaShem after He delivered them from the Egyptian army as we saw in Exodus 14. This song recounts the amazing things that HaShem has done. It tells about how the various peoples are now afraid, Terror and dread fall upon them: because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone (15:16), and it ends with the confidence that HaShem will bring them in and plant them on Your holy mountain (15:17) and with confidence in HaShem Himself! HaShem will reign forever and ever (15:18)
What an exhilarating time! What a time for celebration! Miriam and the women are singing and dancing.
But then.
But then…life happened, and the Israelites were without water (which is a necessity) and grumbled against Moses. Moses did the right thing – he cried out to God, and God solved their problem.
If only we could stay in those high moments, those moments where God’s work is so evident and marvelous! But life isn’t like that. We have wonderful days, we have ordinary days, and we have challenging days. God was teaching His people to trust Him.
When things are going beautifully, we go about our merry way, thinking we don’t have to look to God or trust Him. It’s when things are tough that we look to Him. And He lets us go through tough times, partly to teach us to trust Him. We need to trust Him in the little things of life so that our faith can be strengthened to trust Him in the big things.
Singing songs that recount God’s amazing deeds as in the song that Moses and the people sang in this chapter is one way to keep fresh in our mind just what He has done, enabling us not only to appropriately give God thanks and praise, but also to encourage our faith. The God who has acted thus in the past is able to act this way in the future.
Perhaps you’re not one who sings much. I don’t. Reading a Psalm (psalms are songs) out loud helps in a similar way. Psalm 107, among others, has a very encouraging recounting of what God has done and reminds us of His love and compassion. Lamentations 3:20-26 is a wonderful reminder of God’s mercies, as well. Psalms 34 and 103 are two more of many Psalms that we can joyfully speak out loud in praise and worship to God.
I have been helped when feeling overwhelmed by something I am facing when I purposely look back and remember how God has been my help in the past.
Prayer: God, you are so loving. You have always helped me. You have provided for my needs. You have given me wisdom when I have asked! Help me to trust you in the challenging or scary times. (Ask God for His help with any challenges you are facing at the moment.)
