The story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea was unbelievable and impossible. Israel seemed to have taken a dead-end road, since the sea in front of them now barred their way ahead, and the desert was a barrier around them on all other sides. The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops, six hundred in total—pursued the Israelites and overtook them.
The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord. Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). The waters were divided and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and their left. The unimaginable had happened. That was only the beginning of their faith journey.
Crossing the River Jordon involved a new generation and a new leader, Joshua. The Jordan was at its mightiest—at flood stage, Herculean power from melting snow and spring rains. It was almost as if the river defiantly dared Israel to attempt a crossing. Yet the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s instructions as the priests went and stood in the river (Joshua 3:7-8).
As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap, a stunning miracle! Israel’s faith journey continued into the next generation.
The Lord has called His people from each generation to a journey of faith. The Half Crown story of how God provided for Hudson Taylor was integral in his faith journey. The Hudson Taylor Movie Project is a faith journey from beginning to end. Our prayer target of a $7 million movie project is a faith journey. Like the Israelites, there were many times when our faith was shaken, tested, and stretched. Yet, the Lord reminded us of His sovereign grace and provision.
We thank the Lord for His faithfulness and His perfect timing. As we move closer and closer to the finishing line of reaching the prayer target, our hearts are full of thanksgiving. We anticipate that we will be transitioning to the production phase soon. OMF has commissioned this movie project with the vision of inspiring new generations to serve God’s purpose as Hudson Taylor did. And all income generated from the movie production will be channeled back for missional purposes in God’s Kingdom work.
Our faith journey will continue as ordinary men and women of this generation serve God’s extraordinary purpose. Just as the Israelites had faith to follow Moses into the Red Sea as God commanded, Hudson Taylor had faith in God to provide for the work of the China Inland Mission. We follow in his footsteps of faith, trusting God will provide for this movie project.
Editor’s note: If you’d like to be part of the faith journey on the Hudson Taylor movie project, let us know. We’ll get in touch with you. And if you’d like to give toward the project, here’s how.
Image via iStock Photo. Used with permission.
