Thoughts for the Day

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled 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?' But the people thirsted there for water, and complained against Moses, and said, 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?'

So Moses cried out to the Lord, 'What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.' The Lord said to Moses, 'Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.' Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled, and tested the Lord, saying , 'Is the Lord amongst us, or not?'

(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt and God heard their plight sending Moses and Aaron to deliver them. However, Pharaoh would not let them go, until God sent ten plagues. Even then the people were not free, for Pharaoh and his army chased them and it took a journey through the Red Sea (or possibly the 'Reed Sea'), which then destroyed the Egyptians.

Upon their freedom the people danced and sang in sheer joy, yet within a short time they turned on God and on Moses, threatening to kill the latter, sayig they would have been better off back in Egypt.

Are we any different? Are we happy to worship God and to believe in his promises, when things go well, but doubt his existence or complain, when life is hard? We need to learn to be like Moses and immediately ask for God's help. Then we should trust his plans for our life.

Sunday 27th September, follow up thoughts

Lord God,
help us to have faith,
in Your promises
for our lives.
Help us to trust in You,
even when things are difficult
and not just when life is easy.
Amen.