If this were the program The Twilight Zone, I can hear Rod Serling saying, “You have arrived in a place called, No Way. No roads lead out. You have found yourself stranded with no hope.” Of course, the Twilight Zone was a fictional story. But, how often have we all found ourselves in situations with no apparent way out with Satan whispering to us “no way out this time and you are stranded with no way of escape?” I have been there more times than I can count and a few times even believed the devil’s lie that this was the end of life, my ministry, my marriage, my health, my children, etc. In 1990, out of a friend’s tragic loss of a child, Don Moen penned the reassuring lyrics of his most influential song, God will make a way, Where there seems to be no way, He works in ways we cannot see.
Most of the words he took from Scripture while traveling to the funeral. God promised to make ways where there is no way and repeatedly demonstrated this throughout the history of His people. Speaking through Isaiah to the sinful nations of Israel and Judah who were facing captivity from Assyria and Babylon God gave this hope. This is what the Lord says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty water (Isa 43:16 NIV). This reminded them of what the Lord did for their forefathers when the Red Sea blocked their way of escaping Egypt. They would have recalled that after forty years of wandering the children of Israel arrived at the Promised Land only to face a dead end because of the flooded Jordan River. God made a way.
This promise did not end in the OT. It still applies to all believers today. For us Jesus has become the way. Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life (Joh 14:6). He is the way of salvation, for our sanctification, for a new life—He is the way to all good in life. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of (Jn 10:10 MSG). One area in which He promises to provide a way is out of temptation. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1Corin 10:13). Satan brings doubts to our mind when we begin hoping in this verse. “He did it before, but not this time.” “He delivers others, but not me.” “I’m not good enough.” “This time it’s different and I’m too far gone.” And on and on we could go. If anyone had gone too far, Paul, who wrote this verse, would top the list. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst (1 Tim 1:15). God not only provided the way out of his sins but also made him the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Temptation is not the only time a way out seems impossible. The places are endless. I was driving through the civil war zone in Zimbabwe and a rebel soldier jumped in the road ahead of me aiming his AK-47 rifle straight at me. No way seemed possible. Either I would be shot or run over him. At the last moment, he turned and walked away. Why? Other than God providing a way, I don’t know. Once in Bible College, we ate fish and grits for two weeks straight, breakfast, lunch, and supper. We had no money, but we didn’t go hungry; God had provided a way through a gift of fish. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (Ps 37:25 NIV). A member of our small group was in a drug rehab center. In his late 40s, with a Master’s Degree in Nursing, a good family, but lost everything because of addiction. His hip had worn down to bone on bone. Someone paid the entire cost of a hip-replacement. Now, he is clean, full of joy, and back to a full life. God had provided multiple ways out of the place ‘No Way’.
Paul said in the above verse that God will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (v13). God does not always snatch us out of our situation; rather He provides a way and gives us the ability to endure until we reach that point. God opened the Red Sea, but the people had to walk through to the other side. He stopped the waters of the Jordan River so Israel could cross into the Promised Land. David wrote I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Ps 23:4). The lyrics of the song continue. He will be my guide,
Hold me closely to His side, With love and strength, For each new day, He will make a way. Our greatest doubt comes when we can’t see Him working. Once I was only one-step from a dead end with no visible way forward. The Holy Spirit whispered in my heart, “Tomorrow, take one more step”. With no hope, I took that step and the way opened into ways I could not have imagined. You may see a Dead End sign, but don’t stop until you can touch it, but you’ll never reach it.
Sustaining Word for the Week: God works in ways we cannot see making a way where there is no way.