Israel was trapped. In front of them was a body of water, and behind them was the army of Egypt. Anxiety overtook their hearts. But God intervened. He divided the sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground. Then, he closed the sea on the Egyptian army. The Israelites experienced an awesome miracle. Moses wrote a song to commemorate God’s power and goodness, and the Israelites sang it to the Lord.

Exodus 15:1-2
… “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

The name God is the English translation of the Hebrew word El. It means “The Strong One.” In Numbers, God is compared to the “horns of the wild ox” (23:22). In Moses’ day, a wild ox was a traditional image of power. The name El is sometimes used as a prefix. We have considered El Elyon—God Most High, El Roi—the God who sees me, and El Shaddai—the All-Sufficient One. Sometimes, El is found within a name such as Isra-el (wrestles with God), Beth-el (House of God), or El-isha (God is salvation).[1]

Do you feel like Israel, trapped between a sea and a pursuing army? Do you see your life filled with obstacles that cannot be overcome? Let me remind you that you serve El. He is not simply a strong one. He is the Strong One; he is your Strong One. God is all-powerful. There is nothing he cannot accomplish. You can trust him.

God,
You are my Strong One. There is no god before you. There is no obstacle in my life that you cannot overcome. There is no situation that you cannot change. There is nothing I need that you cannot provide. I am depending on you, the Strong One. Thank you for being my God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] Names of God, Rose Publishing, 6.