He fights for ME!

I came across Exodus 14:14 in a book the other day and I'm claiming it as my verse. Here's the reason:

I have a Promises For Moms book that just lists verses on a bunch of different topics. I was scanning the topic on "rest" when the words of this verse struck me. I wanted to know the context in which it was said, though, so I have spent my quiet time the past couple days reading through Exodus 14.

I'll be honest and say that although I have heard the story of Moses leading God's people free and parting the Red Sea many times, I don't ever remember actually reading it straight from my Bible. Exodus 14 is the chapter where Moses has lead the Israelites away from the Egyptians. The Egyptians pursue and the Israelites panic. They are afraid they are going to die in the desert, and they are angry with Moses because they would have rather remained slaves than suffer that fate. Moses tells them not to be afraid, but stand firm. In verse 14 he says, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

I took a few things from my reading. I feel like I have some things in my life that I really need to change. I have some habits and hangups that I just need to get rid of, but they are going to pursue me like the Egyptians pursued the Israelites. I am also feeling like I need to flee from the culture we are living in. I don't want to be absorbed into our Godless, materialistic, self-centered society, nor do I want my family absorbed into it.

One of my problems is I try to fight these things on my own. I totally stink at being still. I go and I do and I go some more and do some more and I think and I try this and I try that and then I think some more and I try something else. If I could just give all that up, God would fight for me. He would part the sea and I'd find myself on the other side and all that "stuff" would be buried.

So, I need to be still. I don't mean that I need to find a quiet place to sit (although that would be beneficial, it's next to impossible in this season of my life). I mean I need to still MY efforts to do this stuff on my own. When I'm faced with one of these issue, I just need to stop thinking about how to fix it and start praying that God will take care of it. There is a battle going on for my heart and mind and the hearts and minds of my family...and God wants to fight it for me, if I would just let Him.