EXODUS 17:1-7 WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? The Israelites moved into the mountains of Sinai where the Egyptians had copper mines. The slave labor to work these mines may have been experienced in the past by some of those people. As they moved further into those valleys the supply of water was left behind. Rephidim means "resting places" and they may have hoped this would be a good place to stop. But now as then, hope and reality are quite different. We have had some very special times of blessing and God had abundantly met our needs. With happy expectation we move ahead thinking the bad times have passed only to find a difficulty greater than those we have already passed through. Lack of food affects our stomachs and gradually affects us in other ways. Lack of water brings us quickly to exhaustion and we stop everything until our thirst is quenched. Thirst overcomes every thought and action.
Why did God allow these people to thirst? Why does God allow suffering, war, pollution, and evil today people ask? And the inference is that there is no God at all. When our expectations are not met, we have either a tendency to doubt God's leading us in this way or God's awareness of what is happening to us. Does God really care? Is there any point to prayer? When faith starts to relax, and instead of faith being in God Himself, we place our faith in what we think or our own way, then God does whatever is necessary to get us to turn to Him again. Life will hold many times of difficulty and pressure that seems to be unbearable unless our faith is strong and placed on God alone. Then we stop to think of what God has been to us in the past. We may find ourselves when under the pressure of difficulty, reviewing the way God led us right from the beginning of our life of faith.
Did God make Himself real to me as He unfolded the way of salvation? Was He not there when I had to make life-changing decisions? Remember how faithful He was when we did not know what to do next? He was with me then - why should I not think He is with me now in this present time of distress? God was with me in the good times. Why should I not think He is with me in the bad times? He was with me when I was full. Surely, He is with me when i am empty. If I can trust Him when I am full, how much more should I trust Him when I am empty.
God allows His people to go through difficulty and suffering so we can learn what we are really like. Through this means He can then teach us the value of self-discipline by intentionally disciplining us to where our only recourse is to Him in prayer and faith in Him. When God instructed Moses to take the elders with him to the rock in Horeb, He was going to reveal more than a place to get water. He was going to show to the people of God through their leadership, evidence of the power and authority they were under. The elders hadn't stepped out to stop the murmuring and complaining before. But when the gush of water came out of that rock, they would have learned the responsibility they had to speak to the people and guide them in the ways of the Lord. More than water was needed that day. They had to be made conscious of the omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence of God.
How important it is for us to take seriously the difficulties of life as a teaching and training time given by God to bring us to maturity. Untested faith may be only just right words until it has been tried in the fires of temptation and stress over which we have no control. "When I am afraid, I will trust Him." When I don't know what to do next, then I must pray in faith and wait in the assurance of hope in God alone. When the complaints and criticisms of others come and I am tempted to listen and maybe even pay heed to them, I will call upon Him who answered nine times and trust Him to answer according to His divine will and purpose the tenth time.
The waters have failed and the well has gone dry. The seeking soul searches and then wonders why - Where before there had been full and plenty for all, Now there was nothing, and in weakness they're about to fall.
"Where is God? Why hasn't He stepped in To deal with this problem and all those people's sins?" And then I must stop my complaints, for I can see - The one who is doubting and sinning is none other than me.
If I want to, I can probably see failure wherever I turn. Also, if I choose, this is a good time for me to learn That God has a plan that He unfolds in His good time. And I know that His plans are much better than mine.
Yes, I am thirsty but He knows where the water is. Not just the Bread of Life, but the water also is His. When He unleashes that flow, the water then will spring Up like a fountain of life and through it, faith-life will bring.
If this seems like a dry day to you, stop and take time to pray. And if you don't know what is coming next, just wait and watch and stay Where you are until God guides you to act in unrestrained faith. And water will flow from that previously unexpected place.
Then you will get the blessing, and God will get the praise. The unfolding of events will open to you new ways To live a life that is pleasing to God now and in the future. Through experiences of faith, others who follow you can nurture.
Without hunger we would never know the blessings of being filled. Without thirst being quenched, we would have very little to tell Others of God's grace and provision He gives to meet our need. We can encourage others in the Lord when to His lessons we pay heed.
"Father in heaven, I thank Thee this morning for the thirsting times that have led me to the flowing waters of blessing the Holy Spirit provides. Please guide Thy servant today across this wilderness. And thanks so much for the water. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."