A noise erupted at the tail end of our camp. I felt it must be some people who are still overjoyed at our freedom, so I didn’t bother standing up from my tent. Moreover, I was tired and needed rest. The noise continued and became louder. It seemed like the noise was travelling down the camp. ’It is indeed a thing of joy’, I thought. When the noise reached my tent, I turned a deaf ear to it. I was deliberate at sleeping, at least for some time. Suddenly, my brother bagged into my tent and shouted ‘get up, they are coming’.
Fatigue ran out of my body as I stood up to confirm what he said. As fast as I could, I ran to the see for myself. Just as it is written in the bible, lo and behold, I saw chariots racing towards us. I wondered what could be the reason for this chase, but whatever their reason is, we certainly would not wait for them to meet us here. Still thinking, my eardrum picked the vibration that sounded like my name. I turned around to see who was calling me. It was the elders and I knew that I was in serious trouble.
I was having some cool time with the sheep of my father-in-law when God called me to lead His people out of captivity. Now, we are out of captivity and our former masters were racing towards us in angry chariots. We would have packed up our tent and start running, but right before us was something that looked like all the waters of the earth. We couldn’t move forward and the enemy was right behind us. There was no way of escape, but I knew that there is a God.
After I was able to calm them down, I said ‘do not fear. Stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah, which He will prepare for you this day…’ It was a very bold thing to say; I mean very bold. I knew God can do miracles, but I wondered how He would save us from this. I composed myself before everyone to give them some confidence as I walked back into my tent. I began to cry unto God immediately I entered my tent. His answer almost struck me dumb. He queried me for crying out to Him and asked us to go forward. Forward? Seriously?
‘Okay, maybe you don’t understand, there is a sea in front. There is no way in the direction You are pointing’, but the Lord replied with the same instruction.
Disappointedly, I came out of my tent only to see that it was my tent alone that was still standing. Everyone was packed and they were waiting for the guy that made bold statements. Foolishly, I walked towards the sea, obeying the instructions I heard from the Lord. When I got to the bank of the river, I heard the Lord say to me ‘lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it’. At this point, I had no choice than to obey the Word of the Lord. I dared not look back. Apart from the million eyeballs focused on me, chariots were also far behind running towards us.
I lifted up my rod and I could hear laughter from the people I was leading, but I didn’t bother to confirm so I focused on parting the sea with a rod. What a smart idea! The short time felt like years. What now? How will it happen? As I was bringing down my rod, I began to feel a cool breeze slapping my face. The breeze soon turned into a strong wind and the sea before us began to move to sides creating a path way in the belly of the sea. I shifted back and looked at the miracle in front of me. The sea parted into two and we walked on dry ground. Not even a marshy pathway, it was dry!
Truly like St. Augustine said, miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.
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