Thirst and Trouble

“All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.” Exodus 17:1, ESV

God is leading--but we’re still thirsty. The Lord in his pillar of cloud and fire commanded the Israelites to pick up camp. He led them--directly to where there was no water. Thirst. Thirst. Thirst. Thirst. Confusion mounts. The Lord led us? Why? This is not what we expected. Did we do something wrong? Apparently not…. Then why?

God may supernaturally lead us. But we’re thirsty. What is your thirst? The unmet need?

“Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.”

Exodus 17:8

The glory cloud is leading, but trouble meets them. We know the end of the story--Israel overwhelms in defeat the Amalekites, clearly by the Lord’s hand as it is only as Moses raises his arms. Yet, can you imagine the first confusion? The glory cloud right there, and trouble right here. Real trouble, life and death trouble.

Platitudes do not work in those moments. But the Lord is working. Water from a rock was an impossibility in their minds--until God did it. Perhaps victory over another nation was an impossibility in their mind, an un-doable. I think this was the first post-Pharaoh, actual-weapons-in-hand victory the Israelites fought as a rag-tag group of post-slaves. Impossible --until God clearly won the victory for them. Things that had not been possibilities, had not crossed minds, just did not occur ever and nowhere and nowhen, happened. God.

We can reel in those moments of confusion: The Lord has clearly opened doors, but trouble clearly seems more prevalent. Where, where, or into what did God lead us? Enemies strike--but if we’re following by faith, couldn’t he at least protect us? 
But
But this
But this is often exactly where God gets a new name, “The Lord is my banner” (Exod. 17:15), as he does new things. In our thirst when he is leading. In our troubles when he is leading. In our questions  that cause us to ask and look to him again. May we ever have an eye out for his new names, as he continues to reveal himself in his guiding, no matter how or where or what. Pleas will be praises.