Have you ever watched the movie "Click" with Adam Sandler? I thought of that movie this morning at church.

Click is basically about this guy that has a good job, a good family and a good future, but things don't quite go as he wants them to. Frustrated for not finding the right remote for the TV, he goes to buy a "Universal Remote" so he can program all his electronics to work with one. Ironically, the only store he finds open late at night is "Bed, Bath and Beyond" where an employee gives him a new prototype of Universal Remote, he soon finds that it doesn't only control electronics, but his life itself. He also learns he can skip the tough and hard moments in life.
Later in the movie, his life automatically skips moments and flash forwards to the moment of his death, in which he realizes that he missed a lot and learns the lesson to enjoy those hardships and count them as blessing, this is where the point of this post begins.

The teaching this morning at church was on "The crossing of the Red Sea" found in Exodus 13-14, my Pastor focused on the value of allowing God to control your life and let Him direct you, even if it seems that it will be hard.

From the teaching I got 3 interesting points:

1. The shortest route is not always the best.


To better ilustrate, lets look at this passage:

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here."
And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.
(Exodus 13:17-20)

Basically, God lead the people of Israel through the long route rather than the short and "easier" route. Of course, the people of Israel complained once again, telling Moses that he is just leading them the hard way and blaming Him. Little did they know, that God would end up having them cross the Red Sea, which would consume Pharaoh's army and ridding the Egyptians from wanting to take them back to slavery.

A good point that my Pastor made and that spoke to me a lot is that: God won't always take you through the easiest and shortest route, He will sometimes make you go the longer and more challenging way, the one that has more difficulties in order to teach you something. 


Just like Adam Sandler's character in the movie, there have been many times in which I have just wanted to skip the hard times in my life and not go through them, I many times wish life was that easy, but after going through them, I come to realize that God had a purpose for those specific things to happen in my life, that He needed me to go through them.

2. God will protect you and guide you ALWAYS


The people of Israel had a pillar of fire that followed them day and night, protecting them at all time (as Exodus 13:21-22 further explains). This pillar symbolizes God's constant protection of His people. God is always there and has the back of His people, just as the Word says that God doesn't tempt you beyond what you can't handle (I am paraphrasing because I can't remember where that verse is).

Not only that, but He is always there, even when you think He has deserted you. The people of Israel doubted God's protection and even doubted Moses when their journey got hard, wanting to return to Egypt and be slaves where they knew they were comfortable.

3. God is ALWAYS IN CONTROL!


This was the main point I got from the teaching, that God is always in control.

I can look back at times where I have been through certain trials and thought that I could do better, that I could have handled situations different.

God has a plan, He always in control. He IS GOD!

"Be still, and know that I am God.
(Psalm 46:10a)

That is all that needs to be said to conclude this lesson, it is all I could think about. There have been times when I go through things and doubt that God knows what He is doing, even doubt that He is control and this verse always pops in my mind, to know that He is God. He is ultimately in control of everything that happens in my life, He guides me and comforts me and takes me through the right way, even if sometimes there seems to be an easier path.

Sometimes I do wish I could find a remote control that controls my life and even allows me to skip the hard times of my life and take me to the good times, but without those hard times I do not grow, I do not mature, I do not depend and get closer to God. I get stressed when hardships come, I worry A LOT, but I have learned and continue to learn to give it all to God, to let Him take the wheel and take me the way He wants me to go.

After all, who am I to know better than He who made it all? Than He who controls and holds the world in His hands?