I called it the athletic stance. When I coached, it was the first thing I taught. Feet spread apart just a bit wider than the shoulders, knees slightly bent, leaning forward toward the balls of your feet, and both hands open and held out with elbows bent. I lined up the players, had them get in the athletic stance, and then walked down the line, pushing each player’s shoulders. In that posture, you don’t lose your footing; you keep your balance, and you stand firm. And from that position, you can move with agility whether you are a cornerback or a shortstop.

We live in a world that tries to knock us off balance. Sometimes, our own flesh trips us up. Sometimes, the culture causes us to fall. Sometimes, Satan pushes us over. Sometimes circumstances hit—an illness, a job loss, tension in a relationship, a child that loses his or her way, a heartbreak. How do we stand firm when the ground around us is shaking? Check out today’s passage.

Exodus 14:13-14
And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Fresh from being delivered out of slavery, the Israelites were caught between the powerful Egyptians and the Red Sea. No wonder they were terrified and cried out, “…It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” But Moses calmed them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” You know the rest of the story. But here’s a story you may not know.

Frank Haley was a young nineteen-year-old sailor stationed in Alaska. On March 27, 1964, Frank literally felt the earth shake under his feet for four minutes and thirty-eight seconds as he experienced the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in North America. During the quake, Frank knelt and trusted in Jesus as his personal Savior. And he lived the rest of his life for Jesus.

Is your earth quaking? Listen to God’s Word, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” If you have not trusted in Jesus as your Savior, surrender your life to him. Then you can stand firm.

Lord, I want to stand firm, but there are times when fear takes over. I want to live with faith, but there are times when doubt bursts through the doors of my heart. O Father, help me be still and watch you fight the battle for me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.