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 quarreled 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 the people 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 in front of you 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 quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
O God,
how often do I wonder the same thing
"Is the LORD among us or not?"
Too often I focus on the negative,
the hard, the frustrating, the irritating.
I see the rain, the grey clouds,
the tears, the pain.
I cry out in wonder, "Where are you, God?"
Remind me again this Lenten season,
you are the God who brings water from rock,
beauty from brokenness, rainbows from rain,
possible from the impossible, life from death,
Easter Sunday from Good Friday.
Help me do as the Apostle Paul says,
"whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence and
if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things."
Today, Lord,
I will think about
your transforming loving
that changes
sinner into saint!
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment