FAITH IN GOD'S LOVE |
| It is easy for us to read about the Israelites and criticize them for lacking in faith. After all, most of us have never spent months --eventually years-- in any wilderness. The majority of these people walked mile after mile in a cloud of dust. (I spent time in the military and know how quickly dust begins to smother you when traveling over dry, arid soil.) The grit in your teeth, the dust invading every part of your clothing and the heat sapping even the sweat that might cool you leads to short tempers and impatience. Ex. 17 narrates that time in Israel's life when they had been walking for miles in a dry, arid land. They must have felt so miserable that they doubted they could stand the dust and thirst for another minute. There was no thought of celebrating or praising God as they were told to camp in a place where there was not one drop of water. Imagine how Moses felt when God told him to camp here with two million desperate people in danger of dying from thirst. Surely his faith must have been sorely tested also."Why would you have us camp here where there is no water Lord? You know people cannot survive without water." For the third time the people accused Moses of plotting to kill them. (Though they did not say this, this evil plot was from God also since He led Moses.) Read the third verse where they had concluded the whole plan was to kill them and their livestock. Put yourself in their situation, and you most likely will agree you might feel the same way. Our aching bodies, our profound thirst would so dominate our thinking that rational thought would be impossible. God commanded Moses to strike the rock at Horeb, because the Lord promised to bring His children water from this rock. If we were in the sandals of Moses, we would probably think, "You have to be out of your mind to think I am going to do this. Everyone will think I am crazy. Whoever heard of water flowing from a rock?" (Read what some liberal theologians try to do with this and you will understand the limitation human beings place on God.) God welcomes the impossible to demonstrate what it means to have Him as one's loving Father. He would now firm up the faith that had been growing in Moses as He once more did the impossible. He would allow His people to realize that He is a loving God who provides for all their needs even in impossible situations. Once they discovered their God could give them water out of the rock, they relaxed and rejoiced as they drank deeply from their water source, but there was another test waiting for them. Their scouts reported that the Amelekites were attacking those, who were furthest from the main body, the weakest link. Men rushed for their arms determined to protect their loved ones at all cost despite the fear of battle filling them with dread. It was reassuring when Moses announced: Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. When Moses held his rod over his head indicating their reliance on the Lord, the battle went well for Israel. When his arm wearied and dropped, the Amelekites had the upper hand. Finally, Moses became so weary he had to sit on a stone (reminding Israel that they did not rely on the strength of Moses) as Aaron and Hur held his arms up to assure the people that the Almighty was going to give them the battle. This was a day when Moses and Israel learned of human frailty and limitations. It was not their mighty weapons that gave them their victory. I was not the presence of Moses and his rod that did the trick. They were saved only because they all counted on God's promise to deliver them as long as Moses and the rest of the camp did as He commanded. They looked to God's power and they were victorious. Moses built an altar and named it Jehovah-nissi which means The Lord is my banner. What a difference it would make for us if we would remember that people, who put their trust in Christ, have Jesus as their banner. Does that mean that we are free from heartache, anguish, suffering or persecution? No, it means that we have our Lord ready to take us through any challenge that life brings our way. Prayer: Father God, I put my trust in your word regardless of how hopeless things may seem at times. Help me to learn what it means to be loved by you so I need never be discouraged regardless of any threat or suffering life may bring. Amen |
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