Well, we are in chapter 15 of Exodus, at the moment right after Israel has crossed over the Red Sea, and they have experienced the utter defeat of the Egyptian army. God has worked in their hearts in fresh and new ways. And they follow this with a song. Boy, if there's a time to sing, this is a good time to sing! And I'm not going to read the whole song to you, but I want to encourage you, go back to Exodus 15, and read this wonderful song.
There are two parts of this that I want to point out to you. First is “The Best Question Ever” Exodus 15:11–13:
Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome and glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.
You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
These words are so amazing. I think that you ought to write down on a piece of paper or a note card, “Who is a God like our God?” and stick it on your mirror in the morning because the obvious answer is, “No one!” It's a reminder of the awesome glory of God.
Look at the description, “majestic in holiness!” God is perfectly holy in every way all the time. And His holiness is not just one of His characteristics; he's holy in all of his characteristics, holy in love, holy in justice, holy in wisdom, holy in faithfulness, holy in sovereignty–he is holy!
He is “awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders!” No one has the power over the universe that God does. And he “stretches out his right hand.” I love that. He reaches out in power to meet the needs of his children.
He leads in “steadfast love.” Steadfast love is love that never weakens, never breaks. It's always there, “steadfast love for the people whom you have redeemed.” He's not only holy, and he is not only glorious and does wonders, and he not only stretches out his hand, and he not only loves his people, but he redeems them. Guess what? We're redeemed from us because we're our problem. And then he guides them by his strength. What an awesome description of God that is; there is no one like our God!
There's a second part. If that is “The best Question Ever,” this is “The Best Promise Ever,” “You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O LORD, which your hands have established. The Lord will reign forever and ever.” Like Israel, we are and will be called to face difficult things, but we face them with the future in view, with destiny in view. Yes, for Israel, the wilderness is a hard place, but the promised land is coming. Yes, for us, life in this broken, fallen, dysfunctional world is hard, but destiny is coming. Like Israel, the LORD has prepared a place for us. We will live forever, I love this, in his abode. He is going to invite us into his house. And he will reign in that place in peace and righteousness forever and ever! No one is like our God, and no future is like the one he has secured for us!
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. How have you seen God reach out in power in your life and meet your needs as his child? Were you able to recognize God and give him credit when your needs were met by him? Take a moment right now and reflect on some of the specific ways God has met your needs, and in a spirit of thanksgiving, communicate your gratitude to the Lord for the ways he has provided and cared for you.
2. What do you think it means that we’re “redeemed from us because we’re our problem”?
3. Even though we live in a broken, sinful world, how does the promise of full and complete redemption give you hope? Why does a promised destiny of a beautiful future make present suffering endurable?
4. What do you think it practically looks like to live today believing in a secured future to come? How might your faith in a secured future impact the way you live and interact with other believers? Non believers?
For Younger Children:
1. What do you think it means that nothing or nobody can compare with God? Why is it important that God doesn’t compare to anyone or anything?
2. How has God provided for you and me in the past? Let’s list some ways together.
3. Because God has provided and cared for us in the past, what does that mean as we think about and look forward to the future? Will God still care for us and provide for us then? How can we know for sure?
For Older Children:
1. Why do you think it’s important for us to understand that God doesn’t compare to anyone or anything else?
2. Why should we take time to remember the ways God has provided for us in the past? How has God specifically provided for you in the past? Let’s take some time to list what comes to mind.
3. Because of God’s faithfulness in the past, what does that mean for our future? How can we purposefully and kindly remind each other about God’s love and care for us when everything seems to be going wrong?
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