SANDWICHED

SANDWICHED
Gershon Lumugdang
29 May 2011


Sandwiched /ˈsændwɪtʃ/

[1] insert or squeezed tightly between two people;
[2] consumed by a situation (e.g. relationships, health, finances) or by somebody;
[3] being in between troubles.


Time comes in life that we get sandwiched—standing at the middle of a storm or at the middle of a chaotic situation. However, let us lay first the foundation that Jesus Christ is not against you.

Romans 9:33 NKJV
Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,
And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.

This stumbling stone is not actually a stumbling block for a believer but a rock, a stepping stone. It only becomes a stumbling block when one does not believe in Him. Note that this scripture talks about Jesus and he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall not be put to shame nor be disappointed in his expectations. [AMP]

In another translation it says,

Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way. [MSG]

The Israelites, God’s chosen people, were once sandwiched in a big time trouble. The Pharaoh let them go but later decided to chase them to bring them back to Egypt. With the red sea infront of them and the Pharaoh’s chariots and horsemen behind them, what did they do?

Exodus 14:10-12 [NKJV]
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

The Egyptians were marching after them. Sometimes people are haunted and taunted by the events in their past; but now is the day of your salvation! Regardless of what happened yesterday, God can change situations around.
They were very afraid and they cried out to the Lord. Fear, confusion, and panic can come to the hearts of men when faced with trouble. To cry out is to call upon God. Note that the Israelites cried out but were not praying at all, they were complaining [v11,v12]. Through Moses, God wanted to save them and give them freedom but, sandwiched by the situation, they would rather die serving the Egyptians than sojourn in faith. Crying out in fear is of no use. Crying out to God with your complaints is not praying in faith. Faith pleases God. It is your faith that makes your crying out to God effective.


What to do when you are sandwiched by situations in life?

Exodus 14:13-16
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” 15 And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 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.

Do not be afraid.

Jesus is there to help you. It is true that problems don’t get solved like magic, but God has given you His Word. You shall move forth with His wisdom.
Stand still. Stand still in the presence of God.

Romans 5:2
Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
We stand on the rock. We stand on Jesus himself. He is our very foundation. We shall never be moved nor be removed.

See the salvation of the Lord.

Exodus 14:14
The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.

If we will just allow our thoughts, we will be sucked in by the memories of the irresponsible decisions we made in the past. But we have to forgive ourselves and say Jesus is my Savior. We can no longer undo the past, let Jesus heal it.

Lift up your rod.

Rod in the Old Testament symbolizes the Word of God; that is why you need to have a firsthand revelation, firsthand information about His Word. Your rod, your Word, your revelation. Stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. It’s you who’s going to divide the sea with your hands stretched out and your rod lifted up. Yes, the Lord will fight for you but He is going to use you with the wisdom that comes from the Word.

When pressed between situations that sometimes you think there is no way out, think it over. Jesus is your way out. He is alive and His love never fails. He sees you and knows your situation. He will bring you out of it. In fact He has given you that power already. He saved you and He wants you to realize today that you can be a winner, that you are victorious!