The Enemy Within (Fawcett #2) (Exodus 13:17-31; Psalm 18)

One other aspect Fawcett misses here –
While noting loss of time – delay is clear;
And shift to ground more swampy than the sand
Where chariots bogged down – sea sweeps the land.

He fails to mention fire and cloud – what gives?
Volcanoes spewing ash where Moses lives?
A shifting wind, fortuitous indeed,
Which blocks Egyptians, dries up land of reeds?

Sun Tzu says chance plays out its hand in war;
Environment will play a part before
Life settles down, one side is winner clear;
This off-road context’s tough – and somewhat near.

To me his leadership plays a central part,
For Moses was “perceiver” in his heart;
Three roads lay out before him at the start –
He wanted coastal road – swift to depart.

When God said, “No”, he wanted inland road,
Ten miles to inland, parallel – but no;
So he was left with trudging ’cross the land
With motley crew of slaves – then miles of sand.

In novels, “setting” often plays a role
So central readers sometimes come to know
The context as a character throughout,
With central part to play – which brings about –

Events which seem fortuitous indeed –
As here, with road appearing in the reeds;
Wind shifting ’round – effect which gives a break
To fleeing slaves, as bold escape they make.

Though some will quibble over role of God
In changing weather patterns – shifting odds –
There is one aspect written which is clear –
That Moses needed help when close to tears.

And help he got from God to tame his heart –
For most of us that is the toughest part –
“No, take the toughest road, go roundabout”
When we would rather go straight there, no doubt.

God got him to back down, not face a fight
With forts along that route – and God was right;
The inland road had one fort where it stopped –
A fight by slaves could end in death, he thought.

So God helped Moses shift to roundabout
Escape route he detested, there’s no doubt;
Then helped him settle down when trapped between,
Egyptian army and the sea-side scene.

God helped him after breakfast walk in faith,
Down to the water’s edge and gesture make
With rod raised high, despite a sunny day;
He did, then sudden storm prepared a way.

The night before, he’d whined and cried in prayer;
God quieted his heart, said, “Rest – I care,
And will provide; just stand still; give me space;
Do “this and that” – I’ll walk you from this place.

We know that Moses had a temper quick –
A short time hence he whacked a rock with stick,
To get its water – did not speak with peace,
To give a good example – faith release.

But here he did comply – he settled down;
They crossed to other side – Egyptians drowned;
And in those leaders’ actions we can see,
A contrast in the way God helps us lead.

Egyptians were frustrated ’fore the fight;
They let emotions fill them in the night;
When dawn arrived and air cleared up, they raged
At quarry gone before they had engaged.

A Psalm gives full account of what transpired –
Approaching storm showed, “good time to retire”;
When even horses balked at pressing on;
Egyptians pressed ahead, and soon were gone.

When our emotions take control in war,
We can’t stand back, see what will be in store
For us if we don’t heed the warning signs –
For weather must be heeded at all times.

Our greatest foe as leaders is within;
God helps us there so battles we can win;
For forty years while Moses tended sheep,
In pastures green God showed his soul He’d keep.

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