January 26 | When Your Back Is Against the Wall

Today’s Bible in a Year reading from Exodus 14–15 and Matthew 17 centers on what it means to trust God when options disappear, and pressure closes in. Both passages invite us to consider how our response in moments of fear reveals where our confidence truly rests, and how God meets us when we feel trapped.In Exodus 14, Israel finds itself pinned between the sea and the advancing Egyptian army. Fear spreads quickly, memories are rewritten, and trust wavers. BUT GOD positions Himself as both protector and deliverer, creating a way forward where none seemed possible and revealing His power in the middle of their desperation.Matthew 17 echoes this tension as Jesus addresses faith in moments that feel overwhelming. He confronts the gap between what we see and what God can do, reminding His followers that dependence on God matters most when circumstances feel immovable.Together, these passages invite us to reflect on how we respond when our backs are against the wall. They ask us to consider whether fear or trust shapes our next step, and whether we are willing to move forward believing that God is already at work ahead of us, even when the way forward is not yet clear.