Fear Not, Go Forward!
Why We Remember
Are you facing a “Red Sea” roadblock in your life? Are you prepared to “go forward?” The last Feast day of Passover/Unleavened Bread teaches us powerful lessons about how to live our lives and face the obstacles we encounter. One of God’s instructions to his people at this time of year was to teach our children about the symbols and events of the Passover season. This was not just to be an ancient history lesson, a dull retelling of millennia-old stories. Rather, these stories were object lesson designed to teach us how to live in the present. In this way all generations were to preserve a knowledge of how God works in our lives.
Our National Heritage
All Christians, no matter our ethnicity, are part of God’s household. We are heirs with our spiritual forefather Abraham. The history of Abraham’s descendants is our history as Christians. The lessons Israel learned by leaving Egypt, walking through the wilderness, and being trapped by the Red Sea, are our heritage. God told his people, Israel, to teach their children everyday about his wonders and his purpose. Are we taking the time we should to teach our young people? Do they know about the “promised land” that awaits those who put their trust in God?
Go Forward
Our world is not without implacable enemies, like Pharaoh’s army, nor seemingly insurmountable roadblocks. Yet God instructs us to move, to march, to go forward. We have the examples of those in ancient Israel who did not trust God’s guidance in their lives and stumbled, refusing to go forward. But, just as in the Red Sea scenario, we do not do so on our own strength alone. We too have the “angel of God” leading us, giving us light and protection. To encourage us, we can also look back on a multitude of faithful people who overcame their fears. So, let’s be willing to heed God’s command, “Fear not, go forward!”
