Tough Times

"The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”" Exodus 17: 1-4

So there was the entire nation of Israel, in the middle of a desert wilderness. They had only recently departed a life of slavery and captivity in Egypt, from which God had miraculously delivered them, only to set them on the way to the promised land of Canaan. This journey was to take 40 years, though at the time of this story they did not know it - in fact, they had only really just begun their journey. Not entirely unexpectedly, the people of Israel found themselves to be thirsty, with a source of water to quench that thirst sorely lacking in the middle of the desert...so they let their leader have it.

"Give us water to drink!" "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt only to let us, our kids and our livestock die of thirst!"

Things became difficult, and their faith unraveled. In fact, it immediately turned into complaint, and uncalled for accusation. They did more than just whine about the difficulty of their present situation, they accused Moses of rescuing them only to kill them all in the desert - either as some nefarious evil genius, or an absolutely incompetent leader. Moses realized the truth of their complaint and accusation though...it was not really against him, it was against God himself. God, after all, was the one who delivered them from Egypt and gave them the future promise of entering the promised land. In fact God had already miraculously provided for them on their journey! He turned the Red Sea into dry land to ease their escape, He directed their journey himself with a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, and He even already provided food for them to survive with Manna and Quail...yet, they complained and accused.

How easily the Israelites lost their faith in God's providence, when a little bump entered into their journey. How soon they forgot the loving care that their LORD had already provided.

But, thankfully we are nothing like the Israelites...right? I mean, we never lose our faith in God's providence when a little bump upsets our reality. We never forget the many times that God lovingly cared for us in the past without fail.

OK, so maybe we are all a little bit like the Israelites at times - when the going gets tough, the tough start complaining.

Maybe you are in a desert place right now, thirsting out of necessity and not knowing where or when your thirst will be quenched. Whatever your difficulty, know this for certain - the LORD your God is with you. He has provided you with everything you've ever needed, exactly when you needed it in the past, and He will continue to do so in the future.

Tough times never last, because God is everlasting...

Be God's, Scott