Mensa Otabil - It's Time to Crossover
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Welcome to the final day of the year. We’ve done 365 days in 2022, and each day God has been with us, step by step, moment by moment, through mountains and valleys, through water and fire. Here we are, and to God be the glory who has navigated our path to see this day come to pass. So we go to the Book of Exodus, chapter 14, verses 21 and 22. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on the right hand and on their left. This is the crossing over into the new phase that God had called Israel to. They are now going to go into the wilderness that will lead them to the promised land.
So as we cross over today, wherever we are, into a brand new year, may the lessons of Israel be real to us as we also move into the new year. So what do we see in the story? The first thing we see is that Moses stretched out his hand in obedience to God. He stopped crying and stretched out his hand; that means he took a step. He didn’t know what would happen; he just stretched out his hand. He had never seen a sea open into two, but he just stretched out his hand. Many times we don’t know what will happen when we take a step; we just take a step of faith and trust God to do the rest.
And what did God do? The Bible says that God caused an east wind to blow throughout the night to open the sea. So if you were there, it would seem like a huge tornado or hurricane or some major wind force came in and blew the water apart. There is a natural element in what is happening. God is using the forces of nature, the wind, to blow the waters apart. But behind the forces of nature is the hand of God. That’s how sometimes we have to envisage the way God works. It’s not just something magical that happens; God uses the natural things we know, the forces of nature, things we are accustomed to, but he repurposes them and uses them in ways that work as supernatural art to our benefit.
So God was behind the force of nature to make it work. May the Lord cause the forces of nature to work in your favor in the coming year. Then the Bible says the children of Israel walked through the sea as on dry land, and the sea became a wall, a defense, and a protection for them. What they were afraid of, what seemed impossible, what seemed impregnable, was opened into two. This is what God tells us as we enter into the unknown, as we enter into places we have never entered and do things we have never done. God says just trust me, take your step; I will do the rest. I will commandeer all forces to work in your favor, and all you need to do is walk one step at a time, and I will bring you through to the end of your journey.
So tonight we are starting our journey into a new year, and the same God who was with Moses and Israel, who has been with us throughout our lives, is going to be with us, and He will take us through into the coming year. May the Lord be a shield good for you; may He surround you with His presence. May the peace of God be your passion; may you and your family come under the covering of the Most High God. May the Lord God who watches over you bless and keep you throughout the coming year, in Jesus' name. Let us pray.
With me: Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you have done for me this year. Lead me as I cross over into a new year, in Jesus' name, Amen and amen.