JUNE 9
Psalm 114:5, “What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?”
Psalm 114 is a poetic celebration of God’s awesome power in the redemption and deliverance of His people. The psalmist reflects on Israel’s exodus from Egypt and their entrance into the Promised Land, describing how creation itself responded to the Lord—the sea fled, the Jordan River stopped flowing, and the mountains skipped like lambs.
These miraculous signs were not just dramatic displays—they were fitting expressions of God’s greatness and glory in saving His people. God was not only delivering Israel; He was revealing Himself “to all the peoples of the earth” as the sovereign Lord of all creation, who commands nature and history alike to fulfill His purposes.
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, they set up twelve memorial stones as a lasting reminder of God’s power and faithfulness. Joshua explained the purpose of this memorial: “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea… so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever (Joshua 4:21-24).”
A greater redemption was still to come—one that miraculous signs would also mark. When Christ died for the salvation of those who believe, the sun was darkened, the earth quaked, tombs opened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And then, in the ultimate demonstration of divine power, God raised Christ from the dead, revealing “the immeasurable greatness of his power” (Ephesians 1:19).
The same God who parted seas and shook mountains is still mighty to save. He still works “through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) to save and transform lives. And the believer now looks forward to an even greater miracle—the day when Christ “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:21). He is able “to save to the uttermost save those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25).”
The God who shook mountains and parted the sea is the same God who, through the saving work of Jesus, transforms hearts and lives and delivers safely to heaven.
Application Questions: Are there obstacles in your life right now that feel like unmovable mountains or impassable waters? How can remembering God’s past deliverance help you trust Him in the present?
LookingtoJesus 