INSIGHT:
The Red Sea Francois Keet Newly-appointed CFO for the South Pacific Division
4
Adventist Record | July 17, 2021
During the week leading up to July 2, I found myself on the shores of the Red Sea, with the Egyptian army behind me and the waters before me. If you are a senior church administrator, you know how random and uncertain the outcome of the appointment of leaders can be, and for me there was a certainty of two outcomes: I would be facing redundancy, or be appointed as the new CFO of the SPD. The thought of either outcome was frightening to me. Would I be able to step into the shoes of such a great leader, Rod Brady, the outgoing CFO? As the week progressed, my anxiety levels increased, my sleep decreased and my prayers intensified. The night before the Division Executive Committee meeting, I once again struggled with God, pleading with Him to answer my prayers, and committing to Him that whatever the outcome, I would serve Him. I picked up my Bible to continued my normal reading, and the chapter for the day was Isaiah 43, where I started reading that God has formed me, and that I should not fear as He has redeemed me, and that He has called me by my name and that I am His. Tears started rolling down my face. Then I read verse two, that if I pass through water, God will be with me and the waters will not overflow me, and that if I go through fire, I will not be burned. I could not read past verse three. Peace came over me and allowed me to have more sleep than the previous three nights combined. Just like that, God had opened the Red Sea in front of me. The next morning when I saw the overwhelming support for my appointment, tears rolled down my eyes—not of happiness, but of knowing that we serve a living God who loves us individually. In the centre, between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, is one of my favourite Bible verses, Exodus 14:14: “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” By submitting the battles of life and work to God, He will do the fighting for us, and we will experience inner peace.