Don't expect the worst, expect God

Don't expect the worst, expect God - Lloyd John Ogilvie. My dad always taught me to expect the worst. Be prepared for the worst. Then be pleasantly surprised when things did not turn out so bad. :)

Reading Exodus 14 and following. I immediately began to wonder, what did God expect? What does God expect from us? Does he expect the worst? Or does he fear the worst? The Israelites in the wilderness. Already at the Red Sea the Israelites are grumbling. They want to go back to Egypt. There are a series of disappointments for God. What did he expect?

How is it that God can know what will happen but do it anyway? It is too confusing for me, surely.

God chooses weak, insecure, untrustworthy people to do his work through. That is how, often seemingly accidentally, God gets the glory. So when I find myself inadequate for the job God calls me to, I am excited. When I see that I am getting wisdom. I see the truth. I desire God to get the glory.

Expect God to come through. Be confident in his ability. Even what seems like failure can still be to God's glory. God is doing things unknown to me, perhaps in the people around me, that I barely notice. It's amazing.

Like the Israelites on the other side of the Red Sea, I get excited to see God do a miracle in my life, save me. I get excited. But also like the Israelites I soon forget and get discouraged by new circumstances. Thank God for his continual faithfulness.
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Exodus 13:17-14:18 (NASB) [17] Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, "The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." [18] Hence God led the people around by the way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in martial array from the land of Egypt. [19] Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you." [20] Then they set out from Succoth and camped in Etham on the edge of the wilderness. [21] The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. [22] He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. [1] Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [2] "Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you shall camp in front of Baal-zephon, opposite it, by the sea. [3] For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.' [4] Thus I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." And they did so. [5] When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" [6] So he made his chariot ready and took his people with him; [7] and he took six hundred select chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. [8] The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he chased after the sons of Israel as the sons of Israel were going out boldly. [9] Then the Egyptians chased after them with all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and they overtook them camping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. [10] As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. [11] Then they said to Moses, "Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? [12] Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." [13] But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. [14] The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent." [15] Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. [16] As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. [17] As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. [18] Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."