Yup. God Really IS that Good.

Job 1:1-5:27

“You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you. You will be at peace with the stones of the field, and its wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing. You will have many children; your descendants will be as plentiful as grass! You will go to the grave at a ripe old age, like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time!” Job 5:21-26

I don’t know about any of you all, but this last week has been a really hard week! Right now I am completely and totally emotionally spent. It has taken all of my time and attention just to simply get from one thing to the next this week. Leaving me breathless and exhausted at the end of the day. Not only have I been busy, I’ve been heavily spiritually tested. I have no clue how well I did on those tests, and right now I hardly care. I’m just ready for them to be OVER! I’m weary.

And yet at the exact same time, to look back through this week, I can plainly see the footprints of God in the sand. Do you know what I mean? Are you familiar with the cleft of the rock story from Exodus?

The LORD replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you and I know you by name.”

Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.”

The LORD replied, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will call out My name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at My face, for no one may see Me and live.” The LORD continued, “Look, stand near Me on this rock. As My glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove My hand and let you see Me from behind. But My face will not be seen.” (Exodus 33:17-23)

My friend, I have found that there are times in life when you find yourself backed against the crevice of the rock and God’s hand; aka a rock and a hard place. It’s hard, it’s dark; it’s terrifying… all because you’re being protected from DEATH by God Almighty as He passes before you proclaiming His glorious name. His hand is never removed from your eyes until He has fully passed and the danger is over. At which point you can emerge from the cleft of the rock and see Him from behind. You can plainly see His footprints on the sand before your feet. You can press your toes into them and feel immensely small in the midst of such a great and glorious God.

If you’re week has been like mine, I encourage you to take the time today to do just that. Look at those moments that were hard and dark and scary and press your toes into them. Look at them and the impressions that they left on your soul. Did you hear His name proclaimed from those situations and their aftermath? If you haven’t heard it yet, then you’re simply not quite out of the cleft yet then are you?

When you are a Child of the One True King you can laugh at destruction, you can shrug troubles off all because you know that in the end, it’s not all about you and what you’re doing, or how you’re doing. When it all comes down to it, it’s all about Jesus and what He did and what He’s doing. Fear not Dear One, whatever is happening right now, it’s not on your shoulders. It’s on His.

There’s a powerful statement that God had Moses make in the seconds before He opened up the Red Sea and I feel it’s important to remind you of it today. Moses and the Israelites were standing before the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army pressing down upon them with no real route of escape. They’re terrified. And in that moment, juuuust before God provides their way out, He tells them.

“Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today, will never be seen again. The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:13-14

And wouldn’t you know it, moments later the Red Sea parted making a way where before there had been no way. They all crossed the Sea and just hours later, when the last Hebrew foot had been set upon the shore; the Sea closed back up and swallowed the entire Egyptian army. And none of them were ever seen or heard from again.

My dear friend, just stay calm. The LORD fights for you. And the troubles that you see today will never be seen or heard from again. Yes, God really IS that good.