A Safe Path

Febuary 17

God in His providence brought the Hebrews into the mountain fastness before the sea, that He might manifest His power in their deliverance… He chose this method in order to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. The people were weary and terrified, yet if they had held back when Moses bade them advance, God would never have opened the path fore them… In marching down to the very water, they showed that they believed the word of God as spoken by Moses.

The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. Imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, “Go forward.” We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, “Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;” but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.

The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path.

- Patriarchs and Prophets, Exodus p. 290