I’ve Just Got To Praise Him!

Have you ever been in a circumstance where you felt that powerful forces were aligned against you and you had nowhere to turn? One thing that I have learned in tough circumstances is that whenever I feel like I have nowhere to turn... I always have someone I can turn to. Our God is Lord over everything and He has the power to change your circumstance even when you can't see a way out. And when He has interceded and made a way out of no way, you need to praise Him! That's what Moses and his sister Miriam did in Exodus 15:11-21. They recognized that only God could have saved them from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. In the same way, you should realize that only God could have saved you from the enemy who wanted your life. The Lord parted your sea of sin so that you could make your way into His promise of abundant and eternal life. I pray that you will give God the praise He is due for His amazing love and awesome power that miraculously saved you from the enemy.

Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you— majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? “You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:11-13) In Exodus 14, Pharaoh changed his mind about letting Israel go from Egypt. He decided to take his army and his chariots and chase Israel down to force them back to Egypt. Israel was trapped with Pharaoh's army behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. The people of God were in utter terror over the threat of death at the hands of the Egyptians. But it was all part of God's plan to demonstrate His power, so that Israel would know and remember who it was that liberated them and protected them. In a miraculous act, God parted the Red Sea to provide escape for Israel. Then, when Israel was safely on the other side of the sea, He allowed the waters to reconnect and destroy the Egyptian army who were in pursuit. After Israel was safe on the other side and had witnessed the destruction of the Egyptians who had formerly had so much power over them, Moses began to give God praise. He began with the theme "Who is like you..." The man who had used the excuse with God that he couldn't speak well enough to convince Pharaoh to release Israel from bondage, was suddenly eloquent in singing praises about God. Look at the words that Moses used to describe God's attributes: Majestic...Holy...Awesome...Glorious...Wonder Working...Loving...Strong. And the good news is that God directs all of those attributes in behalf of redeeming His people from bondage and saving them. Do you realize how great God He is? Do you know that there is no one like Him? Are you grateful that He worked to redeem and save you?

The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone — until your people pass by, LORD, until the people you bought pass by. You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. “The LORD reigns for ever and ever.” (Exodus 15:14-18) Edom, Philistia, Moab, and the people of Canaan were enemies of Israel that they would encounter on their way to claim the Promised Land. But their enemies would hear about what God did for Israel at the Red Sea and it would terrify them, cause them to tremble and be filled with dread. In defeating Egypt so spectacularly, God had also paved the way so that Israel's enemies would lose heart and be defeated even before Israel showed up. The Promised Land, where God would plant Israel, was in effect already theirs...and Moses claimed it! Moses concluded his song of praise with an acknowledgement of God's sovereignty and authority, saying that "The Lord reigns for ever and ever". You don't have to wait til the battle is over...you can shout and praise God now!

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) Following Moses' praise of God and His deliverance of Israel, Moses' sister began her praise of the Lord. She was the one who connected Moses with Pharaoh's daughter and whom God used to preserve Moses' life. Now she had lived to also witness how God worked miraculously once again. This time it was to preserve and save Israel. Miriam was moved to lead a chorus of women who followed her and sang God's praises. When you have witnessed God's power working in your life, your response must be to sing God's praises in testimony to His grace and mercy.

As the Egyptian army closed in on Israel at the Red Sea, the people of God cried out to God to save them. Moses told the people that the Lord would fight for them...they just needed to be still. Then God spoke to Moses and told him to take his staff, stretch his arms out over the sea and part the water. Are you facing a situation where the enemy is coming after you? I suggest you cry out to the Lord in prayer, get someplace and be still, listen for God's instruction and let Him do what only He can do. There is still no one like Him. He is still able to do the miraculous. And He is still able to deal with your enemies in a way that let's everyone know that you are His and they can't mess with you. He is a God who loves you and paid the price to redeem you and save you from the hands of the enemy. And with a God like that...You should just want to praise Him!

Blessings,

Rev. Glenn

For your listening pleasure: Mary Mary sings "Shackles (Praise You)

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. ~ Psalm 150