Desert Faith

By: Adam McClendon

www.newlineministries.com

Read Exodus 17:1-7

God led the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt and into a desert.  He could have directed them through any number of paths, but he chose the desert where their thirst for water grew and their faith was tested. 

Exodus 17:1-2a explains that along this path through the Desert of Sin (ironic name, isn’t it?) God brought his children to camp at Rephidim.  Now, Rephidim was normally well watered, but on occasion, the streams dried up and the ground turned to dust.  This was such an occasion.  Imagine that frustration.  The all-knowing God brings them to a place that had plenty of streams at one time, but are currently dry.  The children of Israel were surrounded by the evidence of water, without any water.  They had reminders all around them of the potential for relief, without any relief. 

Can you imagine how that felt?  It was maddening and it was the perfect place to test their faith.  It was the perfect place for God to press the question:

Will you trust me?  Will you obey me even when it doesn’t make sense?

Have you ever had a great need, and been reminded by everyone around you that you can’t have what you long for?

Maybe you want to have children and can’t, but everyone around you seems to be getting pregnant.

Maybe you want to work and can’t seem to find a job while everyone else takes their vacation and talks about their retirement account.

Maybe you want to serve God, but are riddled with illness and facing potential death.  Everywhere you look, you see healthy people laughing and living it up as if they do not have a care in the world.

Maybe you want to get married, but can’t seem to find the “right” person, while every time you turn on facebook or twitter you see college friends getting engaged.

It’s maddening isn’t it?  Yet, it is in the midst of the desert that the authenticity of your faith can shine the brightest.  It is in the midst of the desert that you are most readily confronted with the question: Will you trust me?  Will you obey me even when it doesn’t make sense?

So, will you?  Will you faithfully follow God through the Desert of Sin believing that serving him in the desert is better than feasting in the palace with any other master?