What is your focus when you’re going through the toughest times? How do you talk about it? What fills your thoughts?
It’s easy to become hyper focused on our problems. It’s easy to follow all the facebook pages that share in your trial and trouble and become consumed by all the quotes and memes that give words to those feelings you feel and thoughts you think. But that’s a problem in itself. Now you’re not only going through what you’re going through, but you’re bombarding your mind with constant reminders of what you’re going through. Girl, you will unknowingly work yourself into a dark pit of despair like that.
God’s word shows us a different way to focus our thoughts and reframe the story we tell. In the midst of the 7 plagues poured out on the earth in the final days of Tribulation, we find those who have turned to God and refused the Antichrist, singing 2 songs. These songs are their focus. These songs are the story they tell in the midst of their hell on earth being unleashed.
Revelation 15: 1-3, “Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.”
So, these people who have faced the unimaginable conditions of hell on earth are singing 2 songs, and we’re even told specifically what those songs were. This is an important detail. God wanted us to know the power of these songs because it shows us the power of our focus during our problems.
First is the song of Moses. Where’s that? Turn all the way back to the beginning of your Bible. In Exodus we read of the Israelites who had been held in bondage as slaves of Egypt. Then God chose Moses to lead them to freedom. God did impossible and miraculous things on their journey. God split the Red Sea so they could cross the water on dry ground, then the sea swallowed up the enemy army chasing them. On the other side of the Red Sea, the Israelites stopped and sang a song. The first 18 verses of Exodus 15 is the song of Moses.
Here’s what you need to know about this song. It was a total focus on God. It wasn’t a song about how hard the journey had been for them. It wasn’t a song about how unfair their lives were. It wasn’t a song about all they had lost or left behind. It wasn’t a song about what in the world they were going to do next. It was a song focused on God. 26 times in this song the word ‘you’ and ‘your’ is used.
It was YOUR right hand, o Lord. You overthrew them. The power of YOUR arm. This wasn’t a ‘me, me, me’ song – it was a ‘you, you, and your’ song. Verse 13, “With YOUR unfailing love YOU lead the people YOU have redeemed. In YOUR might, YOU guide them to YOUR sacred home.” Count them, how many ‘yous’ and ‘yours’ are in that single verse of the song they sing? SIX. How many “mes” and “mines” are in that song? ZERO.
The song of Moses shows us to think about 3 things:
• Think about WHO God is. He is the great I AM. When you focus on the strength of the I AM in your life, then you see absolutely NOTHING is impossible. You may not know the way, but God does. You may not have the resources needed for this, but God does. You may not be strong enough for the battle, but God is. When you focus on who God is, then you see your circumstances in a different light.
• Think about what he HAS DONE. What has God already done for you?