Raphah

By Pastor Eric

I have really been blessed these past couple weeks by Pastor Dan’s sermon series on the book of James. I hope you have been as well. As he mentioned this past Sunday, the world has a lot of hurt, pain, chaos, and disappointments to throw at us. I know this is just the “way of the world” but doesn’t it seem to be a bit heavier than normal? We don’t have to scroll too far in our news feeds to see all the things going on in the world: war, shootings, political divisiveness, hate, and the list could go on. And let’s not forget our own personal losses, disease, broken families, hurting marriages, mental struggles, and more. Just as we are reminded on Sunday, we live in a broken or fractured world…it’s not the way God intended it!  

As I was reading through the book of Exodus this past week, preparing a message for the youth, I really put some thought into what it must have been like for the Israelites to be in captivity–the sense of hopelessness, chaos, and oppression they must have endured while serving Pharaoh. Then Moses came on the scene and you all know what happened from there. After the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons, Pharaoh sends the people away. Quickly, Moses leads the people into the desert and before they know it, they realize that Pharaoh and his massive army is in hot pursuit, ready to destroy them. 

The chase begins, and what started as a stroll out of captivity becomes a sprint for dear life. Carrying everything they owned and dropping what they didn’t need to lighten the load, the people fled for their very lives. And just when they couldn’t imagine it getting any worse, Moses and the people came upon an impossible obstacle, one that would surely bring about their end–the Red Sea. I can hear the cries of the people ringing in my ears as I read those passages–the desperation, hopelessness, a cry of defeat. 

I hear those same cries today as humanity endures the brokenness of the world, in this time! This is not what God intended.     

But when all seemed lost; feeling defeated, overwhelmed, and at the very edge of the Red Sea…Moses spoke these words to the desperate people in Exodus 14:14, “Be still.” These two words can be interpreted simply as an instruction to “stop moving,” but in Hebrew it holds a very different meaning. In Hebrew, “Be still” is Raphah and it means to relax, be calm, let go of your anxiousness, and to surrender. Moses is telling the people to TRUST, to trust the one true God. In fact, Moses speaks the word Raphah, TRUST, and God himself then says in verse 15, “Move on.”  Moses raised his staff, the Red Sea split, the people crossed over, and they were delivered from the hands of the enemy who was destroyed. 

As we navigate this broken and fractured world, life can feel hopeless at times and a burden too heavy to endure. When the enemy (sin) seems to be winning, let us be reminded that, like the Israelites, we have been delivered from the destruction of sin, the enemy has been defeated, and we stand in the victory that comes from Jesus Christ at the cross. He has opened up a way for us to cross over, to find refuge, and to be delivered from the captivity of sin!

Brothers and sisters, when the burden is heavy, his yoke is light, Raphah then keep moving on. In his work we find strength, hope, and peace in a broken and fractured world. 

“Thanks be to God, who delivers us through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 7:25a