With the start of the new school semester, I’ve been visiting the middle and high school students after they finish school. I’m not a particularly eloquent person, so I always worry about what to talk about when meeting the kids, and because of that, I think I’ve prayed more. But God always brings unexpected moments of gratitude.
Initially, I planned to meet the students in groups of close friends, but due to scheduling conflicts, I couldn’t. As a result, students who might never have had a proper conversation, even though they attend the same church, ended up meeting together. My worries that they wouldn’t say a word turned out to be unfounded. Though shy, the kids began to ask each other questions and talk, and gradually the atmosphere warmed up.
What I’m even more grateful for is that they broke down barriers by sharing their weaknesses with each other. They shared about subjects they struggle with in school, or even stories that might have been difficult to bring up. Seeing other students courageously open up about their own vulnerabilities, the rest began to do the same. The topics were unexpected, and it was moving to witness them express gratitude for things they hadn’t realized before. It struck me that this was truly a moment God had prepared.
Last week, the passage for our morning devotion was about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea in Exodus. Originally, the journey from Egypt through Philistine territory to the land of Canaan (present-day Israel) could have been made in less than a week. As the Bible says, if they had encountered the Philistines, they might have been too afraid and turned back. And even if they had won the battle, they might have thought, even a little, that it was by their own strength rather than acknowledging God’s guidance.
In that sense, the Red Sea in front of them was a place where they could do nothing, and the Israelites trembled in fear as the Egyptian army pursued them. However, the cloud and darkness separated them from the Egyptian army, preventing an attack all night. And God sent a strong east wind throughout the night, pushing the waters back and creating a path between the walls of water. What must the Israelites have been thinking throughout the night? They were gradually experiencing the God they had only heard about.
When we face frustrating situations and our plans fall apart, we are easily shaken. In those moments, we may feel disheartened for a time, but by walking through that tunnel of weakness that we don’t want to face and confessing our need for Him, I believe we will encounter His guidance and touch in unexpected ways. Sometimes the circumstances we don’t desire will lead us to a place of deeper prayer, and though it might not be visible, our faith will grow bit by bit. I am confident of this because even our faith is nurtured by God’s wisdom.
