Paralyzed with fear, Carl stood still and wouldn’t move forward. It was clear that he was shaking with terror because of what was standing in front of him. Bee was holding her position and growled with authority every time Carl even considered moving in my direction.
I knew I had to act quickly or Carl might drop from fear. I spoke his name with confidence to come closer to me. At first he didn’t react but after repeating his name once more, he slowly made his way past Bee and fell into my arms.
Weeks prior, Carl was the one who dominated the pair but now the little pooch was terrified when his sister growled at him. What had caused him to turn from being secure to so insecure?
This same question could be asked of the Israelites as they made their way through the Red Sea and into the desert. One day, they are leaving Egypt with confidence and very shortly afterwards, they are shaking in terror over the idea of going into the land that God had promised them.
Before judging these people and Carl, I have to look at my own life and consider the times that I walked confidently one day and was consumed with fear the next. Many times the fears were based on reality but many times the fears centered on the unknown. I was often paralyzed to move forward when contemplating what was ahead of me.
I wish I could say that I have always pushed past my fears, but like the Israelites, there have been times that I have been left wandering around my own personal desert. It hasn’t been until I put my trust in God that I have been able to move forward.
As I think back at Carl’s situation, it was my voice that provoked him to move past his fear of Bee and into my arms. Isn’t this the same with us and our relationship with God? We may not actually hear God’s voice but if we are reading his Word and praying, we can be assured that He will encourage us to move past our fears and land in His loving arms.