Stuck In Between

Exodus 14: 19-31

A middle aged man who found a job in a farm received a phone call from a lawyer. The call was asking this man to come immediately and sign papers to receive an inheritance from a distant relative. The lawyer said it was worth to drive and come to the office.

The man was happy. Finally he started thinking about his unaccomplished dreams of becoming an artist-painter.

He quit his job. He took his old car and started driving to the city. On a road close to the city, he saw a sign: ROAD CLOSED TO VEHICLES- FOOT TRAFFIC. He was new there. He did not know what to do? He did not have enough money to buy gas for the detour.

So he sat there 20-30 miles away from the city and he started wondering if it was worth of going to this place. He was thinking that the lawyer did not say how much was the inheritance? Could it be a joke? He started having doubts about the person who gave this inheritance. Perhaps it was time to go back to his old job. That was steady income.

He saw people walking and passing a bridge. There was bridge to pass. It was an old one. Maybe the bridge would collapse?

He started praying: “God, remove this roadblock from my sight so I can walk.” Then someone came and told him he was a hiker and could help him pass. Then he was wondering whether that man is thief? "Lord, remove the roadblock", was his prayer.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Do you feel trapped between two worlds?

As I was talking in the Armenian sermon about the Mousa Dagh people. They were between the enemy and the sea. Their roadblocks were very dangerous and real. Although this man had a roadblock facing him to make a detour, I think his real roadblock was in HIS HEAD.

Let us go back to the passage.

*What was the reaction of Moses when the complaint arrived from his people? He encouraged them. He said "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you...."(13). Just give time to God and see the miracles.

*I love God's reaction. Moses, Move ON. You have to move. Be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE. When we are in front of roadblocks, instead of taking action with God, we react.

Reactive individuals are ones who react most of the time to circumstances. Reaction could be positive only if it leads you to act.

The man in that story saw the sign of detour. He saw something new, a roadblock, and that was enough to react. His imagination was incredible. So incredible that he was away from reality. There was a roadblock. Yes, I will call it external roadblock. But his mind, his internal roadblock was tougher and harder than the external one.

Did this happen in your life? Do you react so much to external tough situations and then you are too far from reality and from GOD?

What was the response of God to Israelites? BE PROACTIVE. It means taking the action to overcome.

*What was next move?

Moses led the people through the waters. God transformed the roadblock to a safe instrument.

The Israelites were afraid of the water. When they moved, God used their obstacle as a safety road. When God opened the passage to move, it was dry land the waters were like a wall on the right and left sides of the road (vs 22). The same water became safe walls.

God can use the same roadblocks in a positive way so that we can move on. The Mousa Dagh event, 9/11, Katrina, all is dangerous events in our lives. They are roadblocks. We can go to God and call for help. Also, we can be ready to act with God to go through all this pain. GOD WILL NOT PROMISE US THAT THERE WILL BE NO ROADBLOCKS. You will never see that in His Word. God is with us when we are "passing the waters".

Katrina is a tragedy. What good can we see from it? It is destruction.

Unknown Thousands have lost their lives and families
90,000 square miles of the United States were destroyed
1 million US citizens have been displaced
6000 hospital beds were cut off from a major city
80% of New Orleans was flooded
Thousands of children are attending schools in other states
100,000 Military, Coast Guard, and Policemen have been deployed
Stressed to human limits, two policemen committed suicide

Yet, the whole USA became like one family. We are learning to share and give to each other. The highest non-governmental private fundraising is going on. People are reaching to each other without knowing the other.

When I served in Ainjar, I had talks with the elderly who were on that mountain and with some who were born later. Every year, they want to remember that God rescued them and they owe their existence to the help of God.

Not everyone looks to roadblocks in this way. Many are angry with God.

Why God allows such terrible things to happen? I do not have answers. But I have a question. If you knew why God allows this things to happen, would it help you? Do you become a more mature individual by having all the answers?

Most of our problems are from the inside. The Israelites’ main roadblock was not Red Sea. It was their doubts. It was the temptation to give up from God. That is dangerous.

Through our all these roadblocks the Lord promises to be with us, giving us proper wind for our sails and nourishment for our spirits. The important thing is to KEEP "THE WINDOW" OPEN so God can work through you.

What kind of ROADBLOCKS do you have today?

* The roadblock of a new school year. Unfamiliar teachers, classmates, new friends?

* The roadblock of a new job. New challenges and responsibilities.

* The roadblock of having a newborn baby. Not knowing what to do with new situation?

* The roadblock of raising teenagers. Not knowing how to act instead of react?

* The roadblock of retirement. Not knowing what to do with your time?

* The roadblock of a losing serious relationship. Feeling lonely and cold. Where to go?

* The roadblock of death, losing someone. How to fill the gap?

You can add your roadblock. The problem is that you are trapped from both sides.

May God help you to overcome your roadblock so that you can safely pass over the waters.

Amen