So many of the miracles that Moses does during the Exodus are before Pharaoh’s eyes – to convince him of the power of God to, “let my people go.” The people witness the destruction and the impact of the ten plagues of Egypt, for certain, but I’m betting more than a few of them would’ve been jaded and cynical about it. “Yeah, sure, Moses! You say these flies are from God, but, come on! We’ve had flies before!”
So, think about the people walking together through the Red Sea. There’s an old woman who never stopped praying, who never stopped believing, but she’s seen generations of her family come into the world, suffering, struggling. Her eyes now open wide as she sees the stories of faith come true before her eyes: praise the Lord!
There’s the guy who’s been working, toiling, making bricks, suffering the lash. He can only think about one day at a time because the days have been too hard to add them up together in his mind. Does he even believe in God any more? Maybe not, but look at the waters, divided, forming a wall! Could it be that God is with us? Praise the Lord!
See, a mother walking past with a nursing infant in her arms. All she wants is a safe way forward for the life of her child. She doesn’t think about her own life any more, but she will do anything to put her child on firmer ground. As she walks through the waters and sees the dark, strange skies swirling above and the waters heaped up as they never have been before, she presses her child more tightly in her arms. In perfect trust, the infant sleeps soundly: praise the Lord!
Or have you ever thought about the little kids? Sometimes it’s like their whole world is made up of what they’re seeing and experiencing in any given moment. Can’t you just see them running around, laughing, playing the ancient world equivalent of tag? Can’t you just see them saying, “Daddy, daddy, what kind of fish is that?” or splashing their hands in the water walls on either side while some overwhelmed loved one shouts, “stop that! Come here! Give me your hand!” Can’t you just see them – giddy, in awe, embracing the evidence of God’s faithful love that surrounds them? Praise the Lord!
This miracle wasn’t just about Moses vs. Pharaoh. It was also about each and every anguished spirit learning to hope and trust in God again.