Who Will Save Us?

“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; You have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.” (Exodus 15:13 ESV)

Fear is a powerful motivator. A runner finds a new level of fast when being pursued by an angry dog. Students fearful of a failing grade deepen their commitment to study. The threat of an unseen flu virus will motivate many of us to visit the pharmacy for a shot in the arm. Fear motivates us to do anything in our power to save ourselves from impending danger.

Current events provide an unending source of fear: the virus that brought the world to a standstill, a steady stream of natural disasters, economic trends, humans turning on one another in anger and violence. The message of fear even penetrates the church at large with threats that the freedom to worship could end with the next presidential inauguration. Perpetually afraid, we ask, “Who will save us?”

The Captive Need Freedom

For four hundred years, the children of Israel were slaves in the nation of Egypt. God’s chosen people had no freedom, rights, or value beyond their labor. Exodus 1:13-14 says, “So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service” (ESV). They cried out beneath the weight of whip and rule. The Israelites needed a savior. God heard their cry for help. “Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel–and God knew.” (Ex. 2:24 ESV)

Slaves Need a Savior

God answered their call through a man named Moses. Moses went to his people and shared the hope of God’s promise to deliver them. “And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped” (Ex. 4:31 ESV).

Armed with a staff and with his brother Aaron as his press secretary, Moses confronted Pharaoh. Pharaoh didn’t give in until ten God-orchestrated plagues decimated his power, his family, and his nation (see Exodus 7-11). “And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts” (Ex. 12:51 ESV). Moses was the spokesperson, but it was God who did the work of liberating.

A Journey Needs a Leader

Moses led them on the journey from the land of captivity to the land of promise. Moses walked in front, but it was the Spirit who led them. “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Ex.13:21 ESV). God’s navigation kept them headed in the right direction while avoiding frightening scenes of war (see Exodus 13:17-18). God not only set the course, but he offered protection and light.

The Rescued Need to Worship

On the other side of the Red Sea, with Egyptian soldiers under the water, Moses and the people of Israel sang a song. Finally, after generations of captivity, they were free. The Israelites recognized God as their savior.

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

Awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;

You have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. (Exodus 15:11, 13 ESV)

Delays Need Patience

In the desert, fear set in. God liberated them, fed them with manna from the sky, and quenched their thirst with water from a rock. Yet when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to meet with God, the people became impatient for someone to lead. They confronted a God-ordained delay with a solution crafted by human hands. “Up, make us gods who shall go before us,” they commanded Aaron (Ex. 32:1 ESV). Aaron created a golden calf for the people to worship and follow. And just like that, the people turned their backs on God and worshipped a new savior. “And they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” (Ex. 32:5 ESV).

Contrast this scene with the crossing of the Red Sea. Without options, Moses turned to God. God met this real danger with a miraculous solution (see Exodus 14). Now, with less to fear, the Israelites turned to a golden calf–a creation of their own hands–to save them. They came up with an ineffective solution for an overemphasized danger.

Who Will Save Us?

Is this where Christians are today–standing at the base of an ominous mountain, so desperate for a leader to save us from a trumped-up danger that we will settle for any substitution for the one true God?

Between our liberation and the promised land, let us resist the temptation to save ourselves from perceived danger and instead, look to the one true God who already saved us. It is a time for patience, not panic.

It is a time to remember and worship the one who rescued us from slavery–not a mere man, but the Son of Man. In Romans 8:14-15, Paul describes the fearless life of the Christian. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (ESV).

This is our time to follow the Spirit as he leads us through the desert with light and protection. An ordained leader may walk in front, but it is the Spirit who provides our guidance.

It is time to remember Jesus defeated our true enemy through his death and resurrection.

Who will save us? We do not need to pledge our allegiance to a golden calf when the work of our salvation is complete. Through Christ, we are free from sin and liberated from the curse of death. We are not lost when the Holy Spirit guides us on our journey. We are not hopeless, for God is our salvation.

Lord, we lift our eyes to you, our only hope and salvation. Forgive us for our efforts to save ourselves from perceived dangers. Shine your holy light on the darkness of fear. Guide us through this tumultuous season with your Holy Spirit. Remind us where true freedom is found. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV)

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)

Reach for More

In an episode of the Holy Post Podcast, Skye Jethani said, “Any Christian whose primary posture toward the world is one of fear is not being led by the Spirit of Christ. A leader who claims to be a Christian and is using fear to generate more anger and activism is not leading you by the Spirit of Christ but by the spirit of anti-Christ.” As you consume news about current events, run it through the fear filter. Ask:

• What is this writer/speaker/reporter asking me to fear?
• Is this fear real or perceived?
• What are they offering as an anecdote for this fear?
• What does God say about my fear?

Kelly Smith is a small town girl who married a small town man. They have three children. In the quiet minutes of her day, you will find her at the keyboard or curled up with a book–always with coffee. Kelly believes we are created for community and loves to find ways to connect with other women who are walking in the shadow of the cross. She blogs at mrsdisciple.com.

Photograph © Jasmine Ne, used with permission