Did God Abandon Us Here? Trusting God beside the Red Sea.

Are you feeling stuck? Is there a lack of clarity on how to move forward? Does it seem like there are impenetrable barriers between where you are and what God has promised for you?

You are not alone! So many people who trust the Lord are uncertain right now. They feel like they are wandering aimlessly with no direction and no leader. Yet, Christ has not abandoned you. In this episode, Gabrielle is preaching on why the moment you're in right now feels so intense and why it feels like you're shut in with no pathway forward. 


Scriptures Mentioned:
"When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle."
Exodus 13:17-18 ESV

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so."
Exodus 14:1-4 ESV

Letter from the host:

Dear Beloveds, 

Reflecting on and responding to the faithful and intelligent love of God has been therapeutic to my mind, heart, and body! I vulnerably share because I want you to experience the joy of authentic connection with Jesus, yourself, and others. 

Growth happens at the point of connection. Thank you for trusting me with this connection! I'm glad you're here! 

With joy, 

Gabrielle Michelle 

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Music by AG (Affirming Grace) @agmusic4god 

Transcript

Gabrielle Leonard: 0:25

Welcome to the return to joy podcast. I'm your host, Gabrielle Michel Leonard. Here we're leading people to cultivate joy through storytelling. We hope listening will reveal pathways to unlocking the healing power of connection, so that you can see your relationships and the world around you transformed from fractured into flourishing. I am very excited to get behind the microphone and encourage those who are listening, as I encourage myself with this word that I am wrestling through, I am going to be wrestling over the mic. In Exodus 14, if you are listening in a manner in which you can have your Bible open, if you are listening on the road, then of course, this is not a situation in which you would have your Bible open. But, man, I'm just so aware of so many people that are there. They have this feeling of wandering. They have uncertainty in regards to where are they going, where they're headed, they're headed. I really believe this podcast episode is for you. If you're someone who has been walking with the Lord for a long time, or even you just feel seasoned in your faith, like you're like no, there's no question in regards to the faithfulness of God. But at the same time, I am in such a fierce and serious battle right now then this is a word for you. Because I do know of countless people that are right in the throes of struggling. And I think that one thing that's clear is the people that I'm speaking to myself being one of them. They're the ones who can clearly articulate the faithfulness of God in the past, you can clearly see that God has been with you, you you being where you're at right now, up until this point is only because of the grace and sufficiency of your Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other question about it. God got you here. But there is this concern of, Well, where did he go now? I want to be the I think there's several people that would be able to say and articulate God got me here today where I'm at, but I am having a really hard time locating his presence right now. And it's harder for me to discern, like, Where is God at? And what is he doing? What is he up to? What is he saying? And so this podcast episode is about just that we are going to be going after that. We're gonna be looking at Exodus 14, because I think there's a word for us there. There's a lot of people that are at a Red Sea moment where it feels like there's this impenetrable barrier, there's something in front of them that they can't seem to get past or beyond. And so we're going to look at what was going on for the children of Israel, when they were up against a seemingly unpalatable barrier. So in Exodus 14, it begins with, well, actually, I should go back a little bit. I'm not going to turn there right now. But if you read Exodus 13, if you start there, and you look towards the very if you if you look at verses 17 through 22, you'll notice that you have this pillar, and these pillars of, of cloud and fire that have been leading the children of Israel, right like this has already been happening. They've been they've been led. They the Lord brought them out of Egypt, and they've been being led out. And it's an interesting thing, that in verse 17, of Exodus 13, God intentionally says that he wasn't going to lead them, by the way of the land of the Philistines. It's so interesting, it says, although that was near, because God said least the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt. So what's so interesting to me about that is like, before we even go into the chaos is about to happen in Exodus 14, we need to look and see that at the very end of 13, it's clear that the Lord has concern. And Martin is mindful of his people. The Lord is and that's the word that some of you need to hear. The Lord in that moment was totally aware of what the children of Israel needed. I hear so much of a on judgmental. I mean, like, maybe the Lord was like a little bit of eyeroll but I hear this on judgmental. This father is good shepherd. That just that's like, Man, I know my people aren't ready for that yet. I'm gonna have to get them ready. Because because the Philistines get there, they're gonna have Get ready at some point. But you know what, they're not ready for that just yet. And so even though that's the quicker and faster way, even though if they just, you know, hop over right here, they're gonna get to the promised land much quicker, but they're not ready to face that battle, it will destroy them, because they're not ready. And I believe he's not even referring to the, the caliber of the strength of his people because we know the Lord was the one who got the glory for every victory that Israel won. But it's more so of like their faith won't allow them to go there just yet. Their faith and trust in me is not built just yet. And so they need more time. And so he leads the people around, by the way of the wilderness and towards the Red Sea. It says in verse 18. And so then we're going to skip over to Exodus 14, where the Lord is beginning to have this conversation with Moses. And he tells Moses, that to tell he tells you that it tells Moses to go ahead and like in camp, you know, close by facing the red facing the sea, the Lord literally strategically places the people of Israel, by the sea. And in verse three, he says, this is he gives, He makes his reasoning known of why he did this, he says, for Pharaoh will say, of the people of Israel, they are wandering in the land, the wilderness has shut them in. And then he says, and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and He will pursue them, and I will go and I will get glory over Pharaoh, and all his hosts. And so what happens in the next several verses exactly what the Lord says, Pharaoh sees them. And he decides in his heart, his heart becomes hardened, and he decides to pursue the children of Israel. He decides to follow after them, because he did believe they're just wandering aimlessly in the wilderness. The wilderness has shut them in, they have nowhere to go. This is, this is where they stop, this is their end. And so this is my opportunity. So here's the word that I the word of encouragement that I want to speak to anyone listening right now on this podcast. It is, What message are you listening to? And agreeing with that was actually only meant for your enemy? To hear and to believe. See, the Lord intended for Pharaoh to believe that they were wandering aimlessly, with no leadership, no direction, no god with them. No authoritative covering, no deliver. No hope Bringer, no healer, no refuge, no protection. It was always the intent of the Lord that Pharaoh would be the one believing that the children of God were wandering aimlessly. It was always the intent of the Lord, that Pharaoh would be the one to believe that here's where their story came to an end. Yeah, there was a bunch of unexplainable miracles, and unexplainable signs and wonders, and an unexplainable witness that God was with them in the past, and that they were not alone in the past. But now, no, now nothing is certain. Now, no, now, they have nothing to rest assured, and now their anchor and their hope is gone. Now. They should fear. Now they're lost. The Lord intended that that message would go out. He intended to that would be believed, for his purposes in his glory, but it was never his intent for the people of God to believe that about themselves and about their own situation. And I just know that that is a word that the Lord has, has has is giving to me, and I believe it's a word he's giving to you to us. What are you believing that was only intended for your enemy to believe? See, it's not just that Satan lies to us, and tells us things that are not true. There are things that our enemy genuinely believes to be so based off of our situation. And could it be that God actually orchestrated it? Could it be that God actually placed you and positioned you where you are that place that feels confusing, that place it feels like God's abandoned me here, that place that feels like wandering aimlessly, without any sense of direction? That place where you're like, God, are you still leading me? I don't see you anymore. Could it be that the place where you're at right now, you've been strategically positioned there because the Lord is like your enemy is going to come and try to pursue you. And then I'm going to overtake and destroy your enemy in his pursuit. I'm going to overtake and destroy your enemy right where he stands because he slept on my goodness, he slept on my faithfulness. Because he was wrong about me, and he was wrong about my faithfulness, and my commitment to the covenant that I have made with my people. God has made a covenant with you. It was not a temporary covenant. It was not a a just for a moment covenant. It was not just for a season. Man, we got people in this day, we believe now like oh, like your love can just grow old. Your love can just transform where you fall out of love for people, God does not fall out of love for you. God's covenant does just not just does not wither and become tarnished, and fall apart. His covenant with us is not like the agreements of man that we make, that we cannot stand upon. Because there's so futile, his covenant is not futile. And if the Lord has led you thus far, he will lead you and continue to lead you forward. Could it be that the Lord has positioned you sure to quickly in the place that right now feels so uncertain? Feels like an abandonment by God? Feels like you're wandering aimlessly feels like wait a minute, I could have just why did I leave in the first place? Why did I trust you this far? When in reality, he's like, nah, this is so your enemy would believe this about what's happening in your life right now. It's so I could destroy your enemy. That battle, that thing that still pursuing after you is so that that could be finally destroyed? Would you trust me that I can make a way out of no way that there could actually be a dry pathway that could appear upon my instruction, he tells Moses to lift up his staff above over and over the water and lift up his hand, and then the sea parts. But it's so interesting, that before the sea ever parts, the pillar of cloud and fire, and the angel of God moves to the back of them, it moves to the back of Israel as this protective barrier between the children of God and their enemy that's coming to pursue them. And it's so interesting that, then there was just this pathway forward, but where the presence of the Lord is, was guarding and protecting them in the back as their rear guard. Because what's in front of you is not to be feared. What's in front of you is a faith journey for you to trust the Lord to be the one to make a way where there is no way to reveal what is unseen. It maybe it hasn't been revealed just yet, because your enemy needs to get in position for him to be destroyed. Pharaoh need to get in position. Pharaoh needed to come and pursue the children of Israel. And then the Lord made a way for them. What if God is actually the one who is mindful of you? Remember, he knew you weren't ready. There's What if you knew there were battles you weren't ready to fight? And he intentionally led you here? Just thinking about Remember again, just back there in chapter 13. The Lord's aware of his people. He's mindful of you. There's no there's not. There's it doesn't even make sense, right? There's verses Lord who, who am I that You are mindful of me. But the Lord is mindful of you, beloved, he knows where you're at right now. He knows what you need. He has not abandoned you. He has not forgotten you. He's He's not stopped leading you. He is still leading you. I think that's just the word need to hear. He's still leading you and maybe just maybe even led you here. Not to destroy you not to abandon you not to orphan you, but actually to destroy your enemy. So that's when I'm praying I'm we'll probably do a Facebook and Instagram live soon. To just spend time praying, continuing to practice continuing to go through Exodus 14 and spend time praying before the Lord and going through the process of process and pathway for praying through that Gather that the Lord could reveal the blockade. What's that read see in front of you, but also that the Lord could love on you in that moment where you stand where that anxiety is rest rising because you're like, Am I an orphan? Or am I a child? Him I haven't did I have to do I have to like now slip into parent mode where I gotta lead myself. We're out to do this on my own. In my right now you may have a temptation to go back into control mode, right? Or, or fix it mode where you're like, I'm just gonna fix this myself. I know that's me. I'm gonna figure this out myself. I bet I've walked a lot of roads where I've walked out things alone. I just got it. I try to figure this out. I'm capable. I can take on this responsibility as well. And he's just saying, nah, that's not what's going on right now. This is not an a, an orphan situation. You're not orphaned. You're not abandoned. I didn't stop leading you. I'm still leading. This is intentional. I've purposed you here. Not abandon you here. The Lord has purposed you here, not abandoned you. If you're hearing this message, you've listened to the entire episode. And for that I am deeply grateful. I hope this episode resonated with you and if it did help us out by sharing this episode, and leaving a review on Apple podcasts, and Spotify. Most importantly, reach out to let me know how you're engaging with this episode, and what topics you'd like to see covered in the future. You can connect with us on social media, or get in touch with me directly at Gabrielle at returning to joy.com to share your heart. I'll see you in two weeks for a new episode.