Opening Prayer
Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Give us Your grace for this. Amen.
Text: Exodus 15:1-11
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath which consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils the waters were gathered together; the floods stood upright like a heap; and the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
Devotion
Pharaoh and his whole army were buried in the Red Sea and Israel was saved from slavery. The Lord had redeemed them and betrothed Himself with His people. Jehovah is the faithful One. As His name is, so He is in truth. He promised the fathers to be Israel’s God, and how gloriously He fulfilled His promise! What a God He is! How He can save! What enemies can do anything against Him? Just before this the situation for His people was completely desperate: The enemy was behind them and on both sides, and the sea was in front of them. There was no way to go but up to God. Worst of all: their faith was so weak. They cried to God, but it was more a cry of doubt than of faith. Yet they had a leader who believed. Moses said: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord!” And even his soul was filled with the strongest cry of distress.
Now, quite the opposite, they sing so that hell trembles. The sea which was sure to drown them became their means of salvation and the grave of their enemies – on the enemies who would oppress them the Lord had revealed His power and the glory of His name by the waters of the sea. Their faith is strengthened, their heart full of thanks and their mouth full of jubilation. They have just begun their journey to Canaan, and the wandering in the wilderness lay before them, but they sing as though they were already there: “Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as a stone, till Your people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever” (Exodus 15:16-18).
Whatever blocks the way for the Lord’s people, His Church on earth, shall yield at the right time and give way for them, but overwhelm their enemies. Likewise with each Christian. When you see no way out, and the only way is up to heaven, then things are going just right. Follow that path. Speak with the Lord like Moses who quietly cried to God until He said: “Why do you cry to Me?” Then He shall surely save you, even if your faith is weak. You have a better Advocate than Moses. Just entrust yourself to the Lord. This is what He wants to teach you, and if it happens to be through deep water, then even more gloriously you shall see His salvation. For “all His enemies perish! But those who love Him shall be like the sun when it comes out in full strength” (Jdg 5:31).
Hymn
Not fire, nor sword, nor thunder,
Shall sever me from Thee;
Though earth be rent asunder
Thou’rt mine eternally:
Not hunger, thirst, nor danger,
Not pain nor pinching want,
Nor mighty princes’ anger,
My fearless soul shall daunt.
No angel, and no gladness,
No throne, no pomp, nor show,
No love, no hate, no sadness,
No pain, no depth of woe,
No scheme of man’s contrivance,
Though it be great or small,
Shall draw me from Thy guidance,
Not one of these, nor all!
My merry heart is springing,
And knows not how to pine;
‘Tis full of joy and singing,
And radiancy divine;
The Sun whose smiles so cheer me
Is Jesus Christ alone:
To have Him always near me
Is heav’n itself begun.
Gerhardt: If God Himself be for me L 225:10-12 ELH 517:13-15 tr. R. Massie;
tune: Ist Gott für mich