Reading: exodus 17:1-7
... in accordance with the commandment of the LORD, and their camp in Rafidim, but there is no water to drink of the nation. (Ex. 17:1)
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A year's readings: Matthew 18:20-
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I BELIEVE ALTHOUGH ... - The desert is not a comfortable place for a long journey. Virtually no travel agencies that offer package tours into the wilderness for 12 days. And almost no human would want to live in the wilderness for years.
However, the people of Israel have to travel in the desert for 40 years. The other can not. And Rafidim still be one stopover at the start of their journey after Mara, Elim, and the wilderness of Sin (ex. 3:22-4:1). In this place, they failed to believe in God because of the absence of water to drink. As usual, their reactions so-offhand: "fight with Moses" (v. 2) and "grumble" (v. 3). A very sad attitude, considering they've witnessed a series of miracles that God concluding in front of their eyes.
Reactions such as the attitude of the nation of Israel in fact still often we encounter today. Not our own, when cornered by the difficult and unpleasant, began to question the presence and God's goodness. We began to doubt inclusion and help him. Instead of affirming the faith by remembering God's protection we've ever experienced, we even fell into the sin of self-pity by exaggerating the problem and our weaknesses. When God wants to teach us so that our eyes are constantly focusing to the person and his steadfast love. Thus, we learn to have faith "I believe although ..." instead of "I believe if ..." — NW
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AS LONG AS WE ARE WALKING IN THE DIRECTION OF GOD, A HEAVY TRIP WILL BE FULL OF BLESSINGS
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