I love movies! I remember heading to the theater with a friend to watch the newly released movie, Rocky III. That night, by the time the plot had moved us to the boxing match scene at the climax of the movie, everyone in that fully packed, busting-at-the-seams auditorium was sitting on their edge of their seats.
You see, Rocky had lost a match earlier in the movie. It was important match. But his beloved trainer, Mickey, had a heart attack right before the earlier match. Rocky was so distracted with worry during the match, he lost by a knockout in the second round. When he returned to the training room, his dying trainer asked who had won. Rocky responded the match had ended in the second round with a knockout punch, leaving Mickey to believe he had won.
Time passed and Rocky grieved. He became depressed. He gave up and stopped fighting. It wasn’t until he met his former rival, Apollo Creed, that things began to change. Apollo encouraged and challenged Rocky. He believed in him. He agreed to not only train Rocky, but to stand in his corner, in the ring, during his next big fight. By the end of that movie, the entire movie auditorium was literally chanting “Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!” on repeat. It was a surreal experience, that night at the theater. We all got to collectively see and experience vicariously how a life can change when someone is willing to stand in the corner and fight for their friend.
Fast forward to today. The world has gone more than a little mad. Words like pandemic, social distancing, quarantine, COVID-19, Wuhan, and shelter in place have become commonplace. Schools are closed indefinitely, with online education being introduced to students with cabin-fever. Restaurants are shuttered to any service but takeout. Daycare facilities are closing, leaving solo parents with limited options. Church families are meeting in homes and online. Hospital resources are stretched to the max. With all of the chaos, it is easy to feel like Rocky after that first fight. Not even making it to the third round, we are distracted, losing our focus and experiencing a knockout from life that we didn’t even see coming. We become anxious, depressed, and worried. Panic may set in. We may ultimately decide to stop fighting, becoming too tired to fight alone. It feels as if there is no one in our corner.
I was thinking about this very thing this morning as I was getting ready for work. I picked up my phone and was reminded of what Moses told the Israelites in Exodus 14:14. He said, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Those words from Moses were a tall order for the Israelites. The Pharaoh, under duress as a result of a string of terrible plagues sent by God to Egypt, had finally allowed the Israelites to leave the country where they had served for years as slave laborers. There were a lot of Israelites. Probably close to a million. They had barely been gone when the Pharaoh regretted his decision and decided to send his army of soldiers with chariots to pursue the Israelites and bring them back. This is the circumstance that prompted Moses’ exhortation to God’s people. The people found themselves between the Red Sea, which they had no ability to cross, and the Pharaohs army. They were trapped, in uncharted territory, and with no way out. They were scared out of their minds, wondering if there was someone – anyone – in their corner. Does that sound familiar?
Let me share Moses’ statement to the people again. He said, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Not only did the Israelites have someone in their corner, they had someone who was going to enter the ring and do the fighting for them!
I love this story so much. It reminds me, when life is hard or scary, of who is actually doing the fighting for me. That knowledge takes the pressure off of me. It gives me perspective and hope. There are times, often when life’s fighting is most intense, when all God is asking me to do is just breathe in and out, stay calm, and trust Him to do what He does best.
Ironically, in Exodus 14:15, the verse after the one where Moses tells the people to stay calm, God says to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving.” So, move they did, straight toward the shores of the Red Sea. The priests walked in front, carrying the Ark of God’s covenant. It took more faith than I can imagine for those priests to walk into the waters at the end of the Red Sea. But the minute they did, the water’s parted and all of God’s people walked across the DRY sea bottom to the other side, allowing them to escape the army bearing down on them.
What does all of this mean? I think it means that sometimes there is a time to rest, be calm and trust in God’s assurances and protection. But sometimes it’s time to move, to act, and to put feet to our faith. The challenge is having the wisdom to know which time we are in right now.
Take a few minutes and ask God to give you peace. Go even further than that. Ask him to fill you with Shalom, a peace that is full of the complete blessing of God. Then ask him how you can put feet to your faith, even from the confines of your home. This world is full of hurting people who believe there is no one in their corner. We have the opportunity to walk alongside them. Remember, you aren’t alone in the ring. This fight is going to go all 12 rounds. Just stay calm.