Quit with Your Praying Already!!

Honestly I hope that title got some attention and on some level I hope it even ticked a few people off! Do you know why? Because I didn't say it - GOD DID. As I was reading today I came to a passage that is familiar to anyone who has been to church more than three times or is a fan of the Charlton Heston classic The Ten Commandments. In Exodus 14 you can read the story of Moses and the nation of Israel being pursued by Pharaoh and the Egyptian army as the come to the Red Sea and there within that account is a singular verse that jumped out and grabbed me today... verse 15 -

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on!

Wow - in a moment right before one of the great miracles recorded in history, in a moment just before an indescribably supernatural act that could only be executed by the hand of the Almighty Himself... God says SHUT UP WITH THE PRAYING ALREADY! Why? Well we have no idea what exactly Moses prayed prior to this response as it is not recorded but I can only imagine it went something like this

"God I know you are all powerful and awesome and I know that you told me that we were going to leave all that behind - the slavery, the bondage, the heartache - And I know that you have shown up before but God I think we are screwed this time. So, what do you want me to do? You just tell me what to do God - I'm waiting on you... " AND THEN God had heard enough and responded by saying Quit praying and start Acting, Move On! God essentially told Moses that he was wasting precious time and energy with his words when it was time to get going. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of times in my life that prayer was all I could do - BUT there have also been times in my life that I have labored in prayer so that I could avoid doing what I know I was supposed to - ACT!

Moses was terrified - all he saw where enemies chasing him, no escape to either side of him and a vast expanse of water in front of him. His eyes and his logic said I can't do anything so I guess I'll pray. But God said - why are you stopping keep going! "What's the point Nate?" The point is this the next time God tells you to do something that is then followed by enemies following hard behind, no escape to either side and what looks like a blocked path in front of you - Don't waste your time or energy praying for an answer HE already gave - MOVE ON!

~PN