Letting God Be God In Waterless Places Series

The most difficult and pervasive problem the human creature has is the problem of letting God Be God!

Because of the fact that at times, All of us Project A Stubborn Opposition, even a Religious Resistance to Authentic Authority and Legitimate Leadership. For we Opt For Kadesh (the Sacrilegious Sanctuary of Satan) rather than Canaan (the Sacred Sanctuary of the Sovereign Savior) and, because of our Personal Preference of Prominent People From Our Perspective Over the Personal Presence of the Holy God. And thus, we have a Problem with Letting God Be God.

This problem manifests itself most clearly in a Human Crisis that Threatens Human Existence!

In the case before us, it was A Crisis of a Lack of Water. The issue for the Israelites was a Lack of Drinking Water. Verse 2 says that when the whole congregation abode in Kadesh in the desert of Zin, “there was No Water for the congregation.”

Now, one would think in such a crisis a people would meet for the Business of Prayer and Seeking the Will and Word of God. A Crisis ought to suggest a Conference with Christ! But, instead, Israel meet for the Business of Expressing their Displeasure with Moses’ Leadership and Exposing their Disapproval of Moses as a Person: THEY CHODE WITH MOSES, and thus, Opposed God’s Authority!

Its significant to note that in the human situation a Crisis evokes Finger-Pointing and Assessing Blame. It is fascinating to note how we find the time to play the blame game when the lights are turned off, the water disconnected or the car is repossessed. Instead of huddling in hope with God for divine directives, we waste time and energy in hurtful language venting our frustration and disappointment. Now the madness of that activity is seen if one of my children should be swinging in a swing and suddenly falls and injures their head seriously. And if my response to that crisis would be to rush to their side and commence to scold them for swinging too high instead of offering first aid or getting help immediately.

And yet, way-too-much and much-too-often, we Meet for the Business of Expressing Our Displeasure and Exposing Our Disapproval rather than for the Business of Prayer and Seeking the Will and Word of God. Verse 2 says that as a response to their crisis situation that the people “gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people Chode with Moses …”

Now the issue is: How shall we deal with this Problem of “Letting God Be God” particularly in Human Crises? I wonder, are you interested? If so, I want to offer Two Suggestions as to How we might deal with this problem of Letting God Be God.

I. First, I would suggest that We Refrain From Rebelling Against God In A Crisis-Situation.

As a response to their Fear, the whole congregation gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and Chode With Moses.

The word “chode” in its simplest form means “to oppose the authority or leadership of another by means of Arguing and Fighting with Words.” With words, the whole congregation expressed their Displeasure with the Leadership of Moses and exposed their Disapproval of Him as a Person. Their questions seems to suggest that it was all Moses’ idea to leave Egypt, that Moses had taken this task upon himself and that they had no option but to come along. They asked, “Why have YOU brought up the congregation of the LORD… Why have You made us to come up out of Egypt …?”

They also began to Question and Doubt the Good and Gracious Purpose of God in delivering them from Egypt. For they seem to be suggesting in verse 4 that the purpose of bringing them into the wilderness was in order that they and their cattle should die there. And in verse 5 they seem to be suggesting that the purpose of delivering them from Egypt was in order that they might be brought into an evil place.

Their Fear, you see, forced them to question the Cause, the Reason, the Purpose of God! They could find no rhyme or reason for their present predicament; so, they CHODE with Moses!

And that is significant, for oftentimes while been Led of the Lord we are brought into crisis situations which manifest the character and quality of our Faith. Waterless Places sometimes cause us to second-guess whether or not it was the Lord whom we heard. For somehow we think that following the lead of the Lord does not entail any problems or cares; that being led of the Spirit exempts us from all trials, pain, sickness, family or marital problems and financial difficulties. And so, when we meet Waterless Places we conclude that it was a mistake to listen to that Preacher, or perhaps it wasn’t the Lord at all.