Any sense of liberation was to be short-lived. All too soon, Pharaoh changed his mind - yet again - and set off in pursuit of his cheap labour. He and his hand-picked army caught up with them as they camped next to the Red Sea.

With the army on one side of them - and a sea on the other, it is not surprising that the Hebrews were afraid. And not altogether surprising that it was all Moses' fault! Still more galling must have been Moses' telling them that all they had to do was to keep still.

Everyone has had experience of feeling trapped - between a rock and a hard place. There seems to be no escape - no way out. Teresa of Avila describes it as being beset all round - no way of escape - and resorting instead to sending her spirit upwards to call on God.

When have you been caught between a rock and a hard place - beset by troubles and seeing no way out?
What did you do?

Where was God?