When Will You Know?

We all want to know. We want the feeling that tells us this is the right guy. We want a sign that says this is the right job. We want that peek into the future that assures us the selection we're making will be the right one, that the path we travel will not result in abject failure, that the course we've set upon will lead to success and happiness, and that we're not going to regret the decision we've made. So, when did you know?

In Exodus 14, the Israelites had fled Egypt, a land in which they were slaves for four hundred years. It took a bloody river, an abundance of critters, and the death of the king's own firstborn son to get the Israelites their freedom, but freedom was had, and the people of God made their way to the Red Sea. By the time they reached its shores, Pharaoh had already changed his mind, and headed out with the best of his men and chariots to recapture his workforce. As the Egyptians closed in on Israel, the people began to panic; Moses cried out to the Lord and the Lord answered:

Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. 

The Egyptians would follow Israel through the path God had made for His people, across the dry ocean bottom! Walls of water to either side, and the Egyptians would be so single-minded, so hard-hearted, so enraged by the escape of their quarry, they would recklessly (?), bravely (?), blindly (?) follow them into the very midst of the sea. And, God said, they will see:

So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.

And as the horses thundered and the chariots rumbled, God looked down and began wreaking havoc on the army of Egypt. They were thrown into a panic as the wheels fell off their chariots and they were unable to progress or retreat. Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians! And suddenly, they knew; but it was too late. God commanded Moses to reach his hand out once again and close the waters back over the dry ocean bed. 

Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained.

They made a choice, but it was far too late when they knew they'd made the wrong one.

You've chosen something as well. Whether you acknowledge your decision or not, you have either chosen to follow Jesus or not. Maybe you tell yourself you're just not ready. You've chosen. Maybe you say that you're not against Him, per se, you just don't think it's a priority. You've chosen. Maybe you've just never really thought long enough about it to make a choice: "one day" when you don't have so many other things on your plate, you'll take some time and think about eternity, about life and death, about facts and fables. You've chosen. Following Jesus is one of those decisions that, if you don't choose to do it, by default you've chosen another thing. If you've not made the choice to jump in the water, you've chosen to stay on the beach. If you've not made the choice to chase after God, you're chasing after something else. Have you made the right choice? When will you know?