Denial and other waters, part 1

When I was in my twenties, a mentor of mine said to me, "Denial is not just a river in Egypt!" I'm not sure what our discussion was about, but clearly this person thought that I was not fully acknowledging some important portion of reality. 

Honestly, this year, my fiftieth year of life, I am now ready to acknowledge some things that are true. This post could also be titled, "Dear younger me, learn from Moses already!"

The Nile is a powerful force. The Red Sea is also a powerful force. Denial is also a powerful force. On one hand, denial is a healthy (though temporarily so) mechanism to navigate the stressful situations in which we find ourselves. Denial, like a lot of good things (like winter), must eventually end so that something else, something with more force and more eternal endurance can come.

Moses, Aaron and Miriam hear the Almighty, the God of the universe call them to lead their people out of Egypt. The overwhelming series of events including 10 plagues with the climax being the "saving" of the firstborn babies and the parting of the Red Sea. (For a refresher, read Exodus 1-15 and just for fun watch this clip from the movie The Prince of Egypt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeJSvgq6Dxo)

In Exodus 7:6, it states that Moses is age 80 and Aaron is age 83. For the purposes of keeping this post on the short side, let's decide to take these ages at face value. These folks were not spring chickens. They had some seasoning on their skillets. They knew a thing of two by then. They had learned by lived experience to trust that the Almighty God who had led them to the border of the water would provide a way forward. God did just that.

Moses' words to the people as they are facing the desert and the sea which were both very fierce and powerful forces is a good one for me during this season of transition and uncertainty: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you...the LORD will fight for you; you need only be still" (Exodus 14:13-14).

You may be facing some pretty uncertain times as well. You may be facing some scary things that make you want to live in denial or cower and run away. You may be tempted to think that taking refuge in the past would be safer or at least more comfortable. Yet, perhaps, the Almighty God is inviting you to live facing the scary future with openness to whatever God is doing.

Dear younger me: The way will open before you as you put your confidence in the LORD!