March 07, 2024 | Be God's Light
Miracles in the Desert
Scripture: Exodus 17(NIV)
1The 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. 2 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?”
3 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?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
15 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. 16 He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”
Devotional
Moses had to be exhausted. He was an eighty year old shepherd when God told him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery. He faced obstacle after obstacle. But even when everything was a complete success, the people found fault in his leadership. What have you done for me lately? Every leader knows this accusation.
Moses understood that the people were not only quarreling with him, they were also doubting God. Though the Lord had provide one miracle after another, the people weren’t really sure they could trust Him to provide for their immediate needs. So Moses cried out to God, pretty sure they were ready to kill their once-valued leader.
What is it about people that we so easily forget what God has done when we are caught up in life’s moments? The first verse of the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” speaks of God’s unchanging nature and goodness:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Here in Exodus 17, God provided extensions for the reach of Moses. When there wasn’t enough water, God told Moses to use the staff He had provided. When the enemy army was prevailing, God provided two men to hold up the arms of Moses. We have no idea how each of these miracles worked. If we did, they wouldn’t be miracles.
Psalm 145:15-16 says, “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” This is an acknowledgement to God for how He faithfully provides. How has God provided for you? Don’t forget the miracles and don’t overlook the small stuff.
Poem
Grocery Checkout Theology
Give me, Give me
I want more!
See the goodies
In earth's store?
I see this
And I want that
Grabbing, grabbing's
Where I'm at
As you're in the
Checkout aisle
Don't you see the
Candy pile?
Instant pleasure's
My desire
I'll consume-
You be the buyer
Stop it, now
You naughty child
You're desires are
Wicked, wild
All you want is
More and more
But I've better
Things in store
Stop this pester--
Testing Me
Don't choose fruit
Forbidden tree
Hush, now stop
This selfish whining
Let me choose
On what you're dining
