Saturday, February 24, 2007

Often left hanging, never out to dry

Exodus 15:22-27

My girlfriend and I have two months to wait until we see each other again. Long distance relationships are hard; One of the hardest parts is the waiting. In our culture of instant access and direct T.V., patience is not a virtue. Of course, in this world, it never was.

Whether you have everything or nothing, it is easy to grow impatient and distrusting. The Israelites had just come out of decades of slavery and oppression where they were forced to "live without". When they were finally freed from slavery and miraciously saved from the most powerful army in their acient world, they still had an impatient spirit. You don't learn patience just by experiencing hard times. My Grandma who lived through WW2 in Paris as teenager said "I've suffered enough in my life," or "I've already been through Hell." Her attitude made her bitter and resentful against many other hardships she experienced in the "promised land" of America.

I'm not knocking or those who have been through those times, which were much more horrific than my own.

Three days after they saw the most powerful army be destroyed without them lifting a finger, they start grumbling about their thirst. Now let it be granted, they had a real need. Three days journey in the wilderness with 600,000 men (not counting Women and children) can deplete water sources pretty quickly. A man can die of dehydration in one day without water hiking in extreme heat. At most, a man can't live without water for three days. So, delusional and exhausted they come to a spring of undrinkable bitter water.

Is this some kind sick joke, God? Are you up there laughing pretty hard now? Are you just going to leave us hanging in the wilderness to die of thirst? (Questions courtesy of conversations with a friend of mine)

God heals the waters and gives the command every Israelite and every person needs to hear in those trying times. "Give earnest attention to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight". He even promises, for their obedience, a greater provision then what they were grumbling about--no diseases, plagues, or judgments. "For I, the LORD, am your Healer." He's the one they needed the whole time and for the future. And He wouldn't leave them out to dry.

Then they stumble upon the anti-climatic and understatedly stunning scene. 12 clean springs of water, one for each tribe, and 70 date trees provide for all their needs for weeks!

Just one more day everybody....just wait one more day....

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you...

After some horrific years of my life and some trialing car troubles ( :) ) the other night... I really needed to hear that.

I'm glad we arn't alone and we can wait 'just one more day'