Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.”

In what is one of the greatest turnaround victories in history, here the Israelites come out on top.

The Egyptians had ignored all of the good that Joseph and his God had brought to Egypt. He had saved them through storing up food in and before a severe famine. He ruled under Pharaoh with Godly insight and strong character. But after he died, the Egyptians became fearful of the Israelites’ numbers and prosperity. So they enslaved them. They worked them hard. They tortured them. And they killed them like mere animals.

I bet many of the Israelites were wondering: “Where is my God? How can he allow these evil things to happen to his people?” God saw it all. And he had a plan that would be for his glory and the deliverance of his people. He saved Moses from sure death as a baby, and used him to lead his people out of Egypt. It wasn’t easy, and the plan did not go how Moses and the Jews likely would have drawn it up. It was a bigger and better plan!

Now, in this passage, we come to the deliverance of the Israelites. They have just crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, because Moses parted the waters by God’s power. And when the Egyptians tried to cross, God caused the water to come crashing down and they drowned.

So what did the Israelites do? They praised God. They honored him for being a great warrior and settling the score with the evil pursuers who were bent on killing them or keeping them enslaved. He came to their aid in a miraculous way. A way that people far and wide would be in awe of. And a way that gave them future protection and a “hands off my people” status.

As I look at this story, it seems to me to have two currents operating at once. In rivers and seas there is the current we see on top, and it can flow one way. And there can also be an undercurrent that works in a different direction. And underwater it can trap people.

I believe there are spiritual currents as well. There is the current of life, lived on this earth. This current is full of “here and now” success markers. Things like wealth, beauty, position, size of your house, # of fun vacations you take in a year, career and work success, how many children you have and how they measure up to the world’s success standards.

And then there is an OVERCURRENT. This is the current of God’s Kingdom. It operates without the world and above it, for the most part. The world doesn’t see it or give it much credit or attention. But it is the current of the Almighty God, leading to salvation. And as we live in this current, more and more, we are drawn away from competing in the world’s success markers. Instead, we see success as God sees it — obeying him and doing his will in love, grace, and justice.

So whose current am I caught up in today? Do I want to be impulsive and get pleasures now, and pay for the sin of ignoring God later like the Egyptians did? Or will I follow God, swim in his overcurrent, and get caught up in all of his goodness and the rescue missions he has for me spiritually?

Lord, you are flowing in an entirely different direction than this world. Help me to be excited to join you in your ways, your love, and your rescue missions. Life with you in charge is much more exciting than the next new car or fancy trip. Your heavenly rewards will blow my mind, I know this for sure!