September 24: Stretch Out

Key Text: “But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it...” (Exodus 14:16, NKJV)

Dr. Tracey-Ann Trail

As Moses stood at the Red Sea with the Egyptian army pressing in behind, God’s instruction to “stretch out his rod over the sea to divide it” seemed nonsensical to human eyes. Yet it was Moses’ obedience to that word that unleashed the miracle of deliverance.

How many of us have prayed, fasted, and pleaded with God for a breakthrough, only to hesitate when the answer arrives? We want the sea to part before we move, but God calls us to move before the sea parts. And sometimes even when He graciously parts the sea before us, fear, pride, or doubt can keep us from stepping forward.

After completing my doctoral degree in October last year, I earnestly prayed for God’s guidance on my next step. By then, I had already started working at an Adventist institution as a fifth- and sixth-grade multigrade teacher, but my heart longed for a position in higher education. At the same time, I felt like I needed to escape my own “Egyptians.” That first year in a multigrade classroom was overwhelming, with constant stress pressing in from every direction. Like Israel looking back at Pharaoh’s army, I felt pursued and trapped by challenges I desperately wanted to leave behind. So, I resigned, trusting that God would open something new.

That summer, I threw myself into applications and interviews, hopeful for a new opportunity in the upcoming school year. But door after door closed. Others briefly opened, only to shut again, as many school districts and universities were unwilling to sponsor international teachers. Still, I held on to God’s promise: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). I prayed, and others interceded for me. However, as the weeks turned into months, rejections continued to pile up. Despite my preparation and qualifications, I felt stranded at my own Red Sea—stuck, uncertain, with no clear way forward.

Late that summer, a friend called. A new position had opened at the same school where I had resigned. Would I consider returning? My heart wrestled. Go back? After I had already left? Besides, the conference had already said they could not sponsor a work visa. Why even try? My fears, past wounds, and uncertainties fueled my reluctance. So even as I prayed, I resisted, continuing to apply elsewhere, including outside the United States.

However, as I let go and sincerely prayed, God’s answer came: “Apply.” I asked for confirmation, and each time the same message was given: “Apply.” In desperation, I contacted the chairman of the school board. He told me they had already interviewed another candidate and offered them the position. I thought, Well, that’s it. The door is closed. But in my spirit, God whispered, “I didn’t tell you to go asking, I told you to apply.”

Two days later, the Education Director called. The candidate had declined, and she inquired if I would be willing to apply and prepare for a Zoom interview. I obeyed, though hesitant, uncertain, but willing. To my amazement, I was rehired that same day with no resistance to visa sponsorship. The miracle continued: despite constant immigration backlogs, my visa was approved in just two weeks. Truly, God had parted my Red Sea.

Sadly, just as I said at the beginning, sometimes the sea parts, and we still stand there doubting. That was me. God had worked a miracle, and I still questioned: Was this really the answer? Did I mishear God? Was I stepping into His will or settling for less? In time, I came to see that my hesitation wasn’t about God’s faithfulness. It was about my fear. I had prayed for deliverance, and when it came, I still struggled to step into the miracle.

Thank God we can find hope in the Bible, which is full of examples of people doubting even after answered prayer, and how 'stepping into their miracles’ made a difference. Two examples are Naaman, who nearly rejected his healing because it didn’t happen in the way he expected (2 Kings 5:10–14), and Zacharias, who questioned the angel’s message because the promise came later than he thought possible (Luke 1:18–20).

 So how do we ‘step into our miracles’: 

1. Remember God’s Track Record
   Recall how He has provided before.

2. Release Expectations of “How”
   Trust that God’s ways are higher than ours. The miracle may not look like the path we imagined (Isaiah 55:8–9).

3. Obey the Next Step
   Like Moses lifting his staff, sometimes the miracle is triggered by small acts of obedience (James 2:17).

4. Refocus on God, Not the Obstacles
   When Peter focused on Jesus, he walked on water. When he focused on the waves, he sank. Keep eyes on Christ, not the impossibilities (Matthew 14:30). 

5. Step in Faith, Even While Trembling
   Faith isn’t the absence of fear; it’s moving forward despite it (Hebrews 11:29).

Prayer

Lord, forgive us for the times we have prayed for deliverance and then doubted when You opened the way. Teach us to lift our rod, to stretch out our hands, and to step boldly into the miracle You have prepared. Help us to trust that every Red Sea moment is an opportunity for Your glory to be revealed. Amen.