Water from the rock                                                                                             Calvary 022408
Text Exodus 17:1-7
I remember when this whole idea of going to seminary was starting to arise, and I was feeling this call to ministry. And I remember doubting God every step of the way. At first I was thinking there is no way God would be calling me. Then when everyone that had been praying for me was saying we really feel that this is where God is calling you, I said ok fine, but there are no Presbyterian seminaries around and I don’t want to leave my parents by themselves I need to take care of them. Then I found out that there was a great Presbyterian Seminary about 15 minutes from where I lived.

I thought there was no way I would get accepted, so I thought I’d apply just to make God happy and then say see I tried but it didn’t work out. Well the interview process went through even faster than most others who had applied. To tell you the truth, I was starting to get worried. It was getting pretty close to actually working. Then I said God I just can’t afford it, it is way too expensive for me. The following week I was told that I would be under-care by the Presbytery and I would get a full scholarship for the duration of my seminary education.

So even when I felt that it was God who was truly calling me to serve, I looked at what it would take and figured there were just too many challenges and things needed that I don’t have, that there was no way God would make them all work out. In a way I doubted God’s power and ability.

In many ways I think that’s the same thing that the Israelites had done. In what was probably a period of around 6 months, the people of Israel had witnessed ten plagues, the pillar of cloud and fire, the opening and shutting of the red sea, the miraculous sweetening of the water, and the sending of food and meat from heaven.

You would think that by this point in the story that they would have complete confidence, trust and ultimately faith in God’s power and ability. However, that was not the case. At the first sign of need, this time thirst, again they grumbled and complained. Israel begins to test the Lord,

Psalm 78:56 says, “Yet they tested the Most High God, and rebelled against him.”
Psalm106:25 says, “They grumbled in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord.”

After all the amazing signs that God had just shown them, still they distrusted God’s kindness and providential care. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” Moses later on in Deut. warns them before they enter the promised land of this same thing, in Deut 6 he tells them, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” We see it again in Isaiah 7 when King Ahaz is told “ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.”

How often do we grumble against God in our lives? How easily do we forget all God’s blessings and turn a moment of distress or sadness into an assault against God, Accusing him of not caring, and not being present?

We complain about the way our homes look, and forget that there are those who are spending the night outside in the cold of winter. We complain about being on our feet all day, and forget that there are those who’ve never been able to stand. We complain about the inconvenience of standing in long lines, of high gas prices, and how we don’t have enough variety of cloths or food, and we completely forget those who walk miles to get to school or work, and the question for them is never what will I wear or what will I eat, but rather do I have anything to wear and will I get to eat today.

God blesses our lives each and every day and we are given the choice every morning as to whether we chose to recognize these blessings or ignore them. I have the choice every morning to either wake up and thank God for a new day and look forward to seeing God’s blessing and how God will be glorified in my life that day, or to say GREAT another full day busy with things to do and not enough time to do it.

Now I know that some days are harder than others, for example on Wednesday morning when I wake up at 5 am for the men’s bible studyJ but I still have the choice to be grumpy about it or to be thankful for the dedicated group of men that are willing to be up that early to fellowship and grow in our faith together. (the guys could probably tell you which I am on Wednesday morningsJ).

The point is that it won’t come naturally at least not at first, we need to be intentional about recognizing God’s love, mercy, care and blessing every day.

Now notice what Moses does, he immediately turns to God for help. He does not try to fix the problem on his own. It is perhaps one of Moses most characteristic and praiseworthy traits, that he took his difficulties to the Lord immediately and did not delay or attempt to take care of it on his own.

Right away he “cries out to the Lord, what shall I do with this people? Moses does the same thing earlier when they had water that was bitter, and later in chapter 32 when they make a golden calf to worship again he goes to the Lord in prayer.

How quickly do we turn to God for help when challenges come our way? Do we immediately turn to God or do we try to fix things as best we can first, then when it’s all tangled up and we can’t figure a way out then we cry, God Help Me! We turn our backs on God and then ask God, where are you, which is exactly what the Israelites asked in our text this morning. They were asking “is God with us or not” after all God had done for them. It’s amazing how quickly we forget God’s blessings in our lives.

In the Gospel of Mathew Jesus tells his disciples,
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (6:25…)

Moses had the wisdom to call on God. That was what Moses did all the time. He called out to God. Why? Because he knew that God would be faithful.
He had doubted his own ability, sure, but he never doubted the faithfulness of God. And time and again, God showed His faithfulness to the Children of Israel.

What was it Jesus said to the Apostles as the storm rocked their boat? "Why are you so afraid.. o you of little faith?"
We sing songs like "Faith Is The Victory" and "I Will Trust in God."
Yet when it comes right down to it, we don’t follow through.

The bills are piling up. We just can’t make it. We certainly can’t be expected to tithe. Not with our economic situation.
"Why are ye so afraid.. o ye of little faith?"

We’ve applied for that job several times. We just don’t see how we’re going to get it this time.
"Why are ye so afraid.. o ye of little faith?"

Counseling won’t do any good. My life is in disarray. There’s just no way it can get any better!
"Why are ye so afraid.. o ye of little faith?"

Our God created this great big world.
You don’t think he can produce a way, and an answer for you?

He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for us are good and not of evil and to give us a hope and a future.

Remember that income tax check that was just exactly the amount you needed.
or That check that came in the mail that you didn’t know was even coming.
That friend who dropped by at just the right time.
That phone call at just the right moment.

Some may call it coincidence others providence. I believe that God is present regardless of how you look at it or what you call it.

God hears our cries and knows our needs and responds to us with love, mercy and compassion.
The Children of Israel were in a desert. They needed water. But there was none to be found. Nothing around them but dirt and rock. Oh, yeah...and God!
God told Moses go strike the rock, I will be standing there in front of you, and water will come out so that the people may drink.
God answers our prayers, God himself is the answer to our prayer, in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
When we look at the Cross, we see one who understands the struggles and temptations of this world, we see one who understands being beaten, we see one who understands being ridiculed.
We see One who wants to produce a way for us, one who wants to protect us from the Enemy, one who wants to provide for our needs, and One who is the answer to all our problems. AMEN