Write2Ignite

As a writer, have you ever felt like you were on the wrong path? You know, like maybe the path you are on is taking just a little bit longer than you had imagined when you started out on this whole writing adventure.

I’m right there with you.

But last week, God used a Sunday School lesson I was preparing for my 3-5^th grade class to speak to my heart. The lesson was about Moses and the Israelites as they were fleeing Egypt. Exodus 14:17 records, “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, if they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.”

Did you catch that? They were led by God on a specific road. The road he chose for them was not short, and it was also a desert!

I also noticed that God guided them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. His presence was tangible, making the way they were supposed to go obvious. And yet, when they came to the Red Sea, things seemed even more desperate causing them to question God. How could this be the right path?

The Bible records that at this point the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. But Moses reassured them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring today.” Deliverance in the Bible meant saving or rescuing. In this case they were being rescued from slavery and death. And they were about to be delivered in a way that was miraculous, and one in which only God himself could get the credit.  

As I prepared my lesson, I was reminded that God’s presence is also with me as he leads me on the path that he has marked out for my life. At times it may feel like a desert. At times it may feel like it is taking longer than I what I would like to reach certain milestones. But God’s message for me is the same one that he had for the Israelites in verse 14, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Be still.

That is something I am not very good at, but I am working on it.

The Israelites did nothing to save themselves. The Israelites did nothing to solve the problem on their own. The Israelites did nothing to force a victory to happen. Yet God delivered them. In a most unusual and amazing way. One in which they never would have imagined, and one in which only he could get the credit. They had been on the right road the whole time. They just had to keep following his lead and be still.

Take heart, my friend! Are you following God’s guidance? Then you are on the right path. Quiet your heart in his presence and trust him to do more than you could ever ask or imagine.

Mindy Baker resides in Indiana where she is a high school Spanish teacher. She is the author of Mouse’s Christmas Gift, Zonderkidz 2018, and has contributions in several 2023 and 2024 Guideposts publications. She recently signed a contract with Chicken Scratch Books for a middle grade novel entitled Soledad to be published in December of 2025. You can connect online with Mindy here. She also has a mini-magazine for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers of children. You can sign up to receive it here.