Sometimes, life really shoves us down in the dirt. We think everything is fine, and then something just brutally awful happens and we’re stuck down on the ground trying anxiously to pull ourselves up again. We put things first that should be put last; we try to impress people who don’t need to be impressed; we put ourselves first and think we can solely handle our problems without any help from the only one who can actually save us from ourselves.

This summer, I worked at a camp where pretty much every single day, we would sing a song about Pharaoh in the Old Testament of the Bible. Pharaoh was the monarch of Egypt who refused to let the people in his kingdom leave with Moses, who God had chosen, to go to the promised land. The song tells the story of Moses taking all of God’s people from Pharaoh, and Pharaoh’s army chasing after all of them, following closely behind with the motivation and deep desire to kill all those who had escaped.

Something pretty miraculous happens, though, when Moses and his people hit the ocean, the Red Sea, the gigantic barrier keeping them from their destination. God actually makes Pharaoh more inclined to want to pursue His people, giving him the drive to quickly close on Moses and his people, who began to cry out to the Lord and panic to Moses. Then Moses says something pretty interesting:

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

God begins to question Moses, asking him why in the world he’s afraid, giving him the simple instruction to, you know, casually raise his rod and part this incredibly gigantic ocean standing right in front of him. God’s people then walked through a wall of water, literally a wall of water on their left and on their right, and cross this ocean. Then, when Pharaoh and his army run in after them, the wall collapses, and every single one of the Egyptians dies in the sea.

I sang a song telling this story every single day this summer, screaming the words, trying to get the kids involved, doing all the hand motions, making the kids do all the hand motions…But I never even realized what it was saying.

There is evil in this world. There is evil that will try its hardest to stop you from doing what you know is right and what you know God is calling you to do. There are people who act as Pharaoh’s who would love nothing more than your personal downfall. There are people who want you to mess up so that they look good to the world. There are temptations that promise things that can only bring short term fulfillment.

But then there are things that are terrifying—the things that you know are right. There’s a crazy old man in a robe with a crazy beard talking about how he saw some tree on fire that was actually God telling him to lead people away from the tyranny of a scary ruler. Okay, maybe those kinds of things don’t happen anymore, but in your life, you will be faced with a Red Sea. You will come to a halt in front of some monstrous decision, some interesting relationship, the call of God for you to be His child, and you will stop dead in your tracks. The ocean will rage in front of you, while an army of temptations and lies and misconceptions run to close in behind you. You will feel the trap of the world and of worldly things closing in around you on all sides.

There’s just one thing that you can rely on, though…God is going to save you. He’s going to work all night parting the ocean for you. He’s going to create these miracles for your life so that you can go to the “promised land”—the place He destines you to be in, the job you’re supposed to have, the person you’re supposed to marry, the adventures your life will bring, and most importantly a growth in your relationship with Him. Remember what God tells Moses?

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only stand still.”

This is a promise made multiple times throughout the Old Testament when God’s people are faced with a battle they don’t think they can overcome. God tells them to chill, go to sleep, and let him fight the battles for them. In the face of enemies and fear, we cannot do anything to save ourselves. We are too weak, we are human, we are sinners, and we will never be perfect. God prevails. God always prevails, and he always is on your side. He wants you to win because He loves YOU.

Now, I may not go around every day walking down the Quad of the University of Alabama clapping and singing “Pharaoh Pharaoh,” but what a testament of faith that this story brings. Do not be afraid. Stand firm in your faith. Sing the song of praise that Moses and his people sing after God saves them. Be the person God calls you to be.

“You stretch out your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies. In your unfailing love, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength, you will guide them to your holy dwelling…For the Lord reigns forever and ever.”