Date: 01-26-2020

Title: Jumping To Worst Case Scenario

(S) cripture:
    Exodus 14:10-12 (NASB77) And as Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 ” Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘ Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

(O) bservation:
    At the first sign of trouble the Israelites immediately assume the worst. They jump to the worst case scenario. Rather than to trust God they turn on Moses with all kinds of accusations about why they are in the desert. The Israelites look to their circumstances rather than to their God.

(A) pplication:
    Sometimes in the face of difficult times my mind goes to the worst case first rather than trusting God’s leading in my life. Rather than avoiding difficult times by any measure I should focus on being in the center of God’s will for my life. The safest place for me is in the center of God’s will not just some place that seems safe from the circumstances around me. An article in Leadership titled “Beyond Prayer Requests”, makes the point that sometimes in our prayers we ask God to do what he says he will not do. We ask God to override our children’s free will. We pray, “Don’t let my child become an addict.” Our prayer should be, “Lord make yourself so real to my child that they will want to follow you in the choices they make.” “Lord keep me safe.” Lord, let me live in the center of your will wherever that may be.” Rather than assuming the worst today I want to first trust God and look for his provision for me. Today I want to live in the center of His will.

(P) rayer:
    Father, I want to live today in the center of your will for me. Help me to trust you regardless of the circumstances I find myself in today. Rather than jumping to the worst case let me jump to faith and trust in You. Amen