Exodus 14:15,16 Open and Closed Doors

Exodus 14:15  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.

Christians often speak of open and closed doors when talking about God leading them in their lives. 

Would you consider the Red Sea in your path as a closed door?

I suspect looking for open and closed doors for guidance is too much like looking at the circumstances rather than at God, not unlike when Peter tried walking on water and only failed when he looked at the wind and the waves more than at Jesus.  Matthew 14:28-31

The story here is from the Israelite history after the people were brought out of slavery in Egypt en route to a Promised Land.

The Bible is very clear that God was clearly leading them every step of the way.  And more than once, the place they were led to was clearly lacking in something important.  In this case, that important lacking thing was a way of escape. 

My question is: when you come to a closed door, how do you know whether to look for another door or to open the one in front of you?  That may require a miracle, but God has been known to do those from time to time.  Not randomly but as a part of the growth process He has for His people. 

The first clue as to what to do next depends on how you got to where you are in the first place.  Are you conscious of God’s leading on your life? 

The Bible says that “all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  Romans 8:14   And, of course, that old familiar Proverbs 3:5,6, where it says that God will make your path straight, or clear, obvious.

So when you come to that closed door, He will continue to lead you if you are paying attention.  Don’t let that closed door tell you what to do until you talk it over with God.