It’s easy to look at the generation of Israelites who crossed the Red Sea and dismiss them as lacking faith. It is easy for us to look back at them and wonder why anyone who saw the miracles that they saw would doubt God’s ability to defeat the inhabitants of the Promised Land. 

They witnessed first hand the ten plagues upon the Pharoah and Egypt. They crossed over the Red Sea on dry land. They watched sea close on Pharaoh’s army when they too tried to cross on dry ground. When they saw the size of the inhabitants of the Promised Land, however, their faith failed. 

The truth is, I believe, that few of us would have done any better. Think about it. You and I may not have witnessed miraculous plagues or parting seas, but we have witnessed the merciful hand of God in many miraculous (if less dramatic) ways. I have. I’ll bet you have, too. An auto accident narrowly avoided, a negative diagnosis, unexpected money at just the right time; we’ve all experienced those sort of things. 

Some of us have experienced even larger miracles. Yet, we too lack faith, just like the Israelites. 

Why? The answer is right there in that verse. Lack of faith is the result of fear and discouragement. Fear and discouragement are the result of focusing on ourselves and our own abilities instead of focusing on God. 

Why are we discouraged? Why are we afraid? Because we have taken control of our lives away from God, and – admit it or not – we know our own limitations. 

Fear not and do not be discouraged, rather give control of your life back to God.