By John Blase
If my kids get sick in the middle of the night, they call, “Dad!” It’s been that way since they were little. I trained them to do that, to give their mother who stayed at home with them all day a break.
Even now, with one in college and two in the high school years, if they get sick after hours, they call, “Dad!” I love that they have no doubt I’m just a few steps away, and although I may not be able to make everything better, I’ll sure try.
You might say I practiced attachment fathering. And you’d be right. Have I taught my children to do things on their own? Absolutely. But I’ve also taught them that calling out for help is not a weakness. In fact, when you need help often the bravest thing you can do is ask for it.
I’m afraid we give our children incredibly mixed signals when we emphasize independence at the expense of dependence, especially in regard to the life of faith, where we’re supposed to be totally, well, dependent on God. Yes, sorta strange.
So much of the story of Moses is about attachment fathering—God training Moses and the Hebrew people to cry out to Him. Unfortunately this wasn’t a one-and-done lesson. It took years and years and more years; and even after all the miracles in Egypt and the plagues and the pillars of fire and cloud and the supernatural provisions in the middle of nowhere, some still doubted God was with them.
But God was as close as their breath, ready to respond to their pleas for help, to show to the watching world (at that time, Pharaoh’s army) that He was the good Father who fiercely loved His people and would do anything, anything at all, to make good on His promises to them.
There may not be a Red Sea in front of you, but chances are good there’s something out there, something that threatens to cause you to lose heart, maybe even give up. If Moses were here right now (which he sorta is via the living Word of God) I believe he’d say, Cry out to the good Father! Tell Him what’s going on, that you need help or you’re in trouble, or both. He will fight the battle for you, if you’ll let Him. Trust me, I’ve seen wonders like you would not believe. Why once, the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground! No god is great like God!
Written By John Blase
11 thoughts on "Crossing the Red Sea"
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Mark McNeff says:
Often I get jealous of the early church being so often witness to miracles and tangible events of God’s power. I struggle to realize that we have been given so much more intimate access to the father then land they could have ever dreamed of! We are holding his words guided by His Spirit!
It’s boring when my life is more like the book of Ruth than Exodus/I’ve never seen the partin’ Of an ocean/ Or a cloud by day or pillar by night/Just a normal everyday working of life/Where things that suck royally/Is evidence of his royalty/Scratch your temple so deep it’s simple/Silly us, ignore the plain we prefer a riddle/Dying to see a miracle while holding God’s diary looking for signs.
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Scott Schulman says:
The Gospel saves me from my independence and to complete dependence on Christ.
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God wants me to completely depend on him.
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Choose to depend on the Lord when I am scared or proud.
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I want to do things on my own, but I need God.
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Lord, break me of my fear and pride. Remind me that all I need is you, and help me to depend on you in every moment.
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Braden Condray says:
He loves us more dearly than any earthly father loves his children, and He cares deeply about us and our lives, even the things we think are too insignificant to bother Him with.
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God displayed His love for us, His care for us, His willingness to go to any lengths necessary to make good on His promises and deliver His people, more than ever on the cross.
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Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much and for manifesting your love in so many ways. Thank you for caring so deeply for us. Thank you for saving us when we were powerless against our enemies. Help us to trust in you and know that you are faithful. Help us to give up our false perceptions, values, and priorities and chase after you, to see and understand the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. In His holy name I pray, amen.
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I will not trust in what I am able to see, touch, and comprehend. I will not lose heart because of my circumstances. I will trust in Him and call on His name.
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Man is so prone to put their trust in what is material, what they can see, feel, and comprehend. But God is calling us to trust in Him, in His power, His love, and His faithfulness.
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