The people quarreled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’” vs. 2
Exodus 17:1-7
The Israelites’ anger is understandable. Moses had led them into the wilderness and then had them set up camp in a place where there was no water. The people had faithfully followed, and now they had been left high and dry. Who could blame them for being upset? Some followers of Jesus have had the same experience. They’ve felt the urgings of the Spirit and have enthusiastically devoted themselves to walking in the Way. They worship and pray, study scripture, join communities of faith, and then, all of a sudden things don’t go as they expected. Life is a grind, relationships fall apart, and instead of finding the promised land they end up camped in a waterless wilderness. And for many, that’s it! They complain to high heaven, get angry with God, and some consider abandoning Jesus. But if they hang on, the journey does continue and what believers discover is that just down the Way, even in parched places, there is life-giving water. Any path that passes through the wilderness is going to give a variety of experiences, and what servants of Jesus have discovered is that the trials along the Way are actually the times that strengthen faith. As the Israelites discovered, living water can even be found in rocks!
Thought for the Day: Who do I blame when things go wrong?
0 Comments