According to Legends of the Jews, by Louis Ginzberg, Moses, overwhelmed, turned to God in desperation. "O Lord of the world!" he cried, comparing himself to a careless shepherd who has led his flock to the edge of a precipice. He describes the impossible situation: Pharaoh bearing down from behind, Baal-zephon (a place of idolatry) to the south, Midgol (a fortified tower) to the north, and the vast, impassable sea ahead.
"Thou knowest," Moses pleaded, "that it is beyond human strength and human contrivance to surmount the difficulties standing in our way." He acknowledged that only God could deliver them, that they had no other hope but Him. He begged God to help Israel, who had left Egypt at God's command.
Have you ever been so stressed that you just had to vent to a friend, or to God? It's a very human impulse. But sometimes, maybe what's needed isn't more talking, but more action.
And that's exactly what God tells Moses, cutting short his fervent prayer. Can you imagine the Almighty saying, "Enough already!"?
God says, "Moses, My children are in distress—the sea blocks the way before them, the enemy is in hot pursuit after them, and thou standest here and prayest!" Sometimes, God reminds Moses, shorter is better.
He continues, essentially saying, "If I could create dry land for Adam, wouldn't I do the same for this holy community?" The implication, of course, is yes. God assures Moses that He will save them, if only for the sake of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac, and for the sake of His promise to Jacob.
God even calls on the sun and the moon as witnesses to His promise to cleave the sea for the Israelites, who deserve His help for following Him into the wilderness without question. A pretty powerful statement!
But there's a condition. God tells Moses, "Do thou but see to it that they abandon their evil thought of returning to Egypt, and then it will not be necessary to turn to Me and entreat My help."
So, what's the takeaway? Perhaps it's that faith isn't just about prayer, but also about action and trust. God is there, ready to help, but we also need to do our part by turning away from our old ways and embracing the path ahead, even when it seems impossible. It reminds us that even in the face of insurmountable odds, hope and deliverance are possible, but they often require us to move forward in faith, even before we see the path cleared before us.