Troubles Along the Way - Exodus 17: 1-7

Let’s take a moment to put ourselves in the mindset of the Israelites. They had escaped from the wrath of Egypt by the parting of the Red Sea. They no longer were slaves to a foreign government. They had been forgotten by God, and then remembered – but they don’t really know which was worse. When they were forgotten they thought that the saving hand of God would come down in one swift motion – they thought that there wouldn’t be anything required on their part. But being remembered by God – well that was a whole different scenario. Since being remembered they have had their work load increased, were visited by plagues, were promised freedom several times over only to have it denied in the end. And now, now they have been emancipated from Egypt only to be wandering the dessert. At times they wonder if Moses is really up to the task, is he the one leading them to any place other than their deaths? Their feet were sore, their bodies ached with hunger, and they felt as if they got nowhere each day – for how fast could a group their size really move?

God must be playing a large joke of them if this is the Divine’s idea of liberation and freedom. They started to wish that they would just have been forgotten forever. As they set down camp once again, at Refidim, they were met with another trial – there was no water. Who would lead them to an area where a substance so vital to life is absence. Even back in Egypt, being tortured, they were given water. But here, at God’s bidding, they had been lead to a place that could not support life, let alone the lives of so many weary travelers.

No one really remembers who the first person was to snap, but the next thing they know everyone is shouting at Moses, “Give us water!” they cried. “What can I really provide you with? Don’t yell at me! I’m just as thirsty as the rest of you!” Moses shouted back. Oh Moses, always trying to be optimistic, always trying to get the travelers to see God in each moment. He accused them of testing Yahweh, but could it be that Yahweh was testing them?

“Why would you take us from a place of punishment into barrenness!” the cries rose. “Surely we are going to die on this path you are leading us on! Our blood with be on your hands Moses! The cries of our thirsty children will echo through your ears! The animals will parish and so will we!”

Moses left with no reply for the people turned away and cried out to God, the Almighty One, the Deliver, “Why have you given me leadership over theses people! They are one step away from killing me out of anger.”

While Moses did not have an answer for the people, God had an answer for Moses. “Take some of the elders from among the people, and take the staff that has been used to show my power before, and strike the rock at Horev. When you strike it, water will gush out, and the people shall drink.”

Moses did as he was told, perhaps out of faith or maybe out of the depths of his despair that would make him willing to try anything. As the water started to flow and the people quenched their thirst, Moses renamed the area Testing and Quarrelling – for that is what he felt the people were doing – quarrelling with him and amongst themselves, and testing God by their unbelief.

Who was really being tested in this story – were the people testing God or was God testing the people? I don’t know about you, but when my basic needs are not met or times turn into ones of disappear, the last thought on my mind is about who is testing who – I just want to be saved.

I cannot imagine what it could be like to be the people of Israel – time after time met by seemingly impossibilities only to be delivered by God. On the one hand I want to question out loud how they failed to see God as the Provider and their Deliver – after all they had come this far. But, I also know in the moments of immediate need it is hard for me to remember what God has done for me in the past, because I am so wrapped up in the present moment.

And let’s be honest, their concern was real. Water is the primary need mentioned with the most frequency throughout scriptures. Water is the source of all life in its very conception and is that which sustains life until death. Without water, death is imminent. Of all of the basic needs, water has the most power – the potential to sweep people to their death or inhibit life from being. In our world today can we really grapple with what the Israelites were going through – facing crisis after crisis and finally arriving at the point where it seemed like they were going to parish. Would you quarrel with the one who lead you to this place as well?

At the same time, I feel for Moses in this passage. He is both a leader of the people and a middleman between God and the people. He has all power and no power at the same time. I can just see him throwing his hands up in the air and questioning where God was right now and how God was going to get him out of this mess before the people stoned him.

This story is also told in the book of Numbers in the 20^th chapter. Interestingly, in that rendition of this narrative, the leaders are accused of not having faith in God, even though the people are the ones complaining. Yahweh goes as far as to say that the leaders unbelief would prohibit them from reaching the final destination on this journey, they will not be leading the people into the holy land.

Since we live in the land of abundance, it may be hard for us to grasp the life threatening nature of a lack of water. We turn on the facet and it is there. We walk through hallways and can find a fountain. Few of us probably even realize how much we use water each day. But perhaps we can relate to the dryness of our souls from a lack of spiritual watering. Those times when it seems like your cup is not only lacking an overflow, but it feels like there isn’t a drop at all. This is just as life threatening as a lack of physical water. And is just as likely to make us turn to God and cry out – “Why?”

But while the text calls this questioning of God testing, I am rather inclined to say that it is a mark of being in relationship with God. The people didn’t fall short because they questioned God or thought that God wouldn’t come through for them. No, the people stumbled when they looked to Moses for the answers instead of to God themselves. Instead of dropping to their knees in prayer, they turned to Moses to solve all of their problems. Are there times in your life that are comparable to those of the Israelites? Times of trials and troubles where you look everywhere, but to God to meet your need, to water your soul? We look to programming, books, music, worship, whatever we can except for God. Perhaps we are looking to those things to find God, but God can meet us in the moment of our trials through simple questions, such as “Why?” When we acknowledge that God has the capacity to provide we are inclined to ask for provision.

So what have you been asking God for lately? Have you been pleading for your dry spirit to be renewed? If you are in a place where you Spirit over flows are you praying for those in the community who may not be in the same place as you? Are you looking to God to meet your needs – in whatever way God sees fit – or are you looking for other answers, using God as a last resort? I pray that you remember that through all of your trials and troubles, God is waiting to answer your questions of “why” and meet our needs – if only we would dare to pray that the water gushes in abundance. Amen.