February 6 - Exodus 16:1-19:25

Good morning  everyone,

When we left off yesterday, the Israelites had just arrived at the oasis of Elim where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees and camped there beside the water. Today as we begin reading they, the whole community of Israel, set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin.

Now, living in the Great Northwest when you say “wilderness” to me I immediately think about the hundreds and hundreds of acres of forest which is my back yard. Once, a few years ago, our cows found a way out of their fenced area and decided it would be fun to go on a walkabout back up in there amongst the evergreens. Matt was off to work which left me to go and search the densely wooded area to find them by myself. It was rainy and cold and it didn’t take me long to get crazy tired and (yes I’ll say it) grumbly. Then I got disorientated, I had long since gotten off the marked path and every direction I looked was the exact same picture as the one before. Tall trees, leaning trees, fallen trees, holes in the ground from where trees had fallen to trip me up and throw me down and well placed shrubbery to camouflage the pits. Oh my word, I had gotten so lost I did not know which way to go, then I got frightened, desperate actually, and being exhausted from searching for many hours in the bitter cold and rain I felt hopeless, like I was never going to get out of there. I began to feel the wilderness close in on me and imagine the wild animals, attacking me (rabbits, raccoons, coyotes … like they would do that?) and wonder how long would it take for someone to find my body,(can they ping a cell phone if there is no signal?) It was in a state of despair, brokenness that I fell to my knees and asked the Lord to help me, to please rescue me, show me the way out and while I sat there praying, wondering “now what do I do?” the Lord, in His sweet and loving voice said to me, “Get up my child and walk this way”. I, no kidding, did a quick head spin to see who was speaking. Puzzled, because really who hears voices in the wilderness?, I got up and began walking in the direction I felt Him leading me, and it was then I did begin to see my way out. Literally within mere minutes the path was right before me and I was able to find my way home. It would take me thirty minutes more to make the walk and for the entire time I prayed giving thanks to the Lord for the sound of His voice, His deliverance, His amazing love and asked if He would please send the cows home. When I got back to my house I got out of my freezing cold clothes, took a hot shower and more weary than I believed possible, then laid down on my bed to sleep. Some time later I woke to the sound of stirring in the front yard. I lifted my head to look out the window and I could not believe what I was seeing; all of our cows were moseying across the lawn towards their pasture. True story! God is so awesome in all that He can and will do for us. I slid off the side of the bed and on my knees gave thanks to my Abba. God used that day to mold me, to shape my character.

The wilderness the Israelites are heading into is not rainy, or cold, and it actually has no green at all, in-fact, it is a dry and barren desert, providing the perfect place for God to test and shape their character. God will miraculously provide for the Israelites with all they need, food in the form of mana and water from a rock. He will lead them to the base of Mount Sinai where He will give them His holy laws and then He will test their obedience to His detailed instruction. The people accepted God’s covenant and agreed to worship Him alone and follow Him.

Have you chosen to follow Jesus? Have you agreed to worship Him alone and to follow Him? If you have, do you talk with Him daily? and do you give Him your all, your full, undivided attention or is it only the spare time squeezed in-between what ever else you have going on in your life that you will say “Oh hey God, how you doing today? Got to go.” Do you start your time of prayer with praise and worship or is your prayer a request list and used mainly in those times when you are in desperate need of His divine help? If this is the case you are totally robbing yourself of the many blessings, tiny miracles, and joy God has available to you by simply drawing close to Him. I am not suggesting that you can think, “I have done my devotions for X many days in a row, I pray, I go to church, now where is my reward from God.” No, that’s not how it works, but time with God does work. It allows you joy in your heart, a confidence that you are not ever alone, and yes, the rare and precious gift of the occasional miracle. I promise you, regular time dedicated to God absolutely works for good in your life, especially in those times when you are exhausted and lost. Matthew 11:28-30 says  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Our God is an awesome God!

I pray you have a great day. To God be the glory.

God bless you all …