“As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them.
They cried out to the Lord….”
– Exodus 14:10

As coaches, it’s not unusual to find ourselves in tight spots during competition. How we respond to those situations can reveal a great deal about our personal commitment and faith in what we are trying to accomplish. Buffalo Bills coach, Marv Levy, found himself in one of those tight spots in a 1992 NFL contest with the Houston Oilers. Trailing 35-3 in the third quarter, it looked hopeless for the Bills who were playing without their regular quarterback and notable escape artist, Jim Kelly. It was then that backup quarterback Frank Reich led an incredible comeback. Reich threw four touchdown passes, the last three to Andre Reed, to propel Buffalo into a 35-35 tie at the end of regulation. The game went into overtime and Steve Christie’s 32-yard field goal sealed the unlikely victory. The Buffalo Bills found themselves between a rock and a hard place, yet kept the faith in the game plan and the abilities of the team.

Moses found himself between a rock and a hard place as he fled the chariots of the great Pharaoh. Escape seemed impossible for the two million Israelites trapped by the Red Sea. When they looked up and saw the Egyptian army coming toward them, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They were also quick to complain to Moses, saying it would have been better to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. It’s apparent that the Israelites had lost hope in the game plan and the abilities of the team. Moses told them to “hold still” and what came next was one of the greatest miracles in all history. As Moses raised his staff, God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites walked on dry land to the other side. What a comeback! How exciting is it to know that the faith that opened the Red Sea also enables us to do the impossible when we are moving forward in the will of God.

Heavenly Father, guide me in your perfect plan today. Thank you for being my Rock when I encounter the hard places. Amen.