The Hidden Pathway

Psalm 77:13-20

13O God, your ways are holy.

Is there any god as mighty as you?

14You are the God of miracles and wonders!

You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.

15You have redeemed your people by your strength,

the descendants of Jacob and of Joseph by your might.

Interlude

16When the Red Sea saw you, O God,

its waters looked and trembled!

The sea quaked to its very depths.

17The clouds poured down their rain;

the thunder rolled and crackled in the sky.

Your arrows of lightning flashed.

18Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;

the lightning lit up the world!

The earth trembled and shook.

19Your road led through the sea,

your pathway through the mighty waters—

a pathway no one knew was there!

20You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep,

with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

Our God is an awesome God, no question about it. He has done amazing things in history, as today’s psalm recounts. But we must not forget that the last half of this psalm is attached to the first half.

Take a look back at yesterday’s portion, and then reread today’s. Don’t they seem like totally different situations? Verse 10 wraps up the despair of the preceding verses by saying, essentially, “God must hate me.” Then verse 11 sets up the rest of the psalm by recalling God’s “wonderful deeds.” What’s the connection?

Let’s pause a moment and recognize that many people never really put the two attitudes together. Sure, God has done great things, but what does that have to do with me? My life is still a disaster area.

Today’s verses tell us that God is in the business of doing great things for his people. His great deeds are not just a fireworks display, but an expression of his love. And don’t miss the picture in verse 19. God was leading his people, but the road led through the sea. And just as God carved a path through the sea for the Israelites, he can lead us safely through our problems, along a pathway we don’t even know is there!

So if you think God has abandoned you, keep looking down. God may be constructing a pathway that you can’t even see yet.

Come unto me, ye wanderers, and I will give you light.

O loving voice of Jesus, which comes to cheer the night!

Our hearts were filled with sadness, and we had lost our way;

But morning brings us gladness, and songs the break of day.

WILLIAM CHATTERTON DIX

Bible Networking

Verses 16-20 give us a powerful poetic picture of the historical event found in Exodus 14:21-31. Also read Mark 4:39 to see that the Lord still commands the waves.

Notable Quotable

“As the brook hides the footprints which are imprinted on its soft ooze, so are God’s footprints hidden. We cannot detect his great and wonderful secrets. He marches through the ages with steps we cannot track.”

F. B. MEYER