I Don’t Want to Be an Israelite

This is Cindy posting on the blog today. I have been thinking about the Israelites a lot lately. The Lord God led the people from slavery out of Egypt. Every day the Israelites saw God’s mighty power. He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. He provided manna and quail for the people to eat. He rescued them from the pursuing Egyptians. But every day the people complained. “We’re tired of manna!” “We’re thirsty! Give us water!” “Why did you lead us out in this Wilderness to die? We should have stayed in Egypt!” All I can say is, “Really, people? What is your problem?”

I feel that we are in our own wilderness, now. And like the Israelites, we see God’s mighty power every day. God’s protection and healing was evident after my accident. God’s provision after the accident was evidenced in a generous church family and work friends. God continues to provide work opportunities for us to have the money we need to pay for food and housing. We have everything we need. No need to complain. So far so good. I am not an Israelite.

After 40 years, God’s people finally were able to enter the land He had promised them. God led them into the land and conquered for them. (Read about Jericho in Joshua 6.) They had everything they needed. What did God ask of them? He asked for their obedience and worship. But the Israelites forgot everything God had done for them. They began to worship idols. They had it too good. They left God behind.

This is where I do not want to land. When we are through this wilderness time, I don’t want to be an Israelite and forget all that God has done for us. I want to still feel the wonder that the God who created the Universe chose me. I want to be in awe that God sent His only Son to die for my sin. I want to feel the thankfulness for the grace of God I don’t deserve. I don’t want to be an Israelite.

Living in the Middle

Starting on a new adventure is exciting and a little scary. The rush of adrenaline and the anticipation fuel your start. Ending the adventure or seeing things come together is exciting and scary. The maturing of hopes and dreams makes all the journey seem worthwhile. 

But the middle...well, the middle is not so exciting and maybe not very scary. Lots of other emotions and feelings, ups and downs. Lots of questions and wondering if, somehow, a turn was missed or a call ignored.

Right now, that's where I feel we are. Trudging through the middle. Following possibilities that lead nowhere. Watching for signposts that are really dead ends.

But through all that, we know that God is faithful. God is always faithful. Recently I read this verse:

Praise the Lord, all nations! Glorify Him, all peoples! For His faithful love to us is great; the Lord ’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah! (Psalms 117:1-2)

The unexpected email from someone who thought I may be interested in writing for an education Web site. More writing assignments that I could ever expect to get. A message for a interim teaching position. These have all been signposts that God is still working, messages of His continued faithfulness. 

Even if most of these don't bear out exactly as I hope. It's hard not to get excited or to see possibilities when talking about new ventures with someone. And then when nothing seems to happen because of it, it's easy to feel rejected and dejected. Especially when you spend most days alone at home, typing on a computer. 

The thoughts can swirl in your head, thoughts that tell you of dead ends and missed calls. 

But God is faithful. Trusting and praising that faithfulness gets us through the middle. 

We're learning more about God and our relationships to Him. That's the truth of the middle. It's a time of learning and growing. Praising and trusting. The excitement of the beginning and the joy of the end are sweetened by the long middle. That's where we see the faithfulness of God and learn how to live in that faithfulness.

His faithfulness endures forever! Hallelujah!