Forget all that!

I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.  (Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 NLT)

Many times God is preparing a way, not through the overwhelming waters, but through the wilderness - the driest and most challenging of journeys we may face, but one with preparations for our safety all along the way. The word of promise to us is simply: Forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do! 

I don't think many of us have seen waters back up on themselves as though an invisible dam halted their powerful flow, nor do I think many of us have stopped to consider just how God was able to dry up that riverbed floor so quickly! We might have seen just how quickly we could stop our vehicles in the blink of an eye when we were about to become very intimate with the bumper in front of us that just happened to get a little too distracted in their driving! We have "just missed" the deer, jackrabbit, or wayward squirrel who had to get to some point on the other side of the road. In that instant, panic rose and settled, as we breathed a sigh of relief for avoiding the collision or allowing some creature to live another day. We might even have uttered a quick prayer of thanks, but do we stop to consider those moments as "Red Sea" moments - those times when God just does something amazing to protect us? In those moments, his protection was evident, but there are times when his protection and provision are less than evident - in fact, all we see is the barrenness ahead and we begin to worry!

There are some today who face things ahead that appear as nothing more than "dry wasteland". Relationships which you counted on are being torn from you and your life seems to be turned upside down. There seems to be nothing but dryness and neglect. Others face what has become a very dry and somewhat non-productive spiritual walk - lost to the worries and cares of this world, too frustrated by life's challenges to try any longer to find God's answers. To each of you the reminder of God's words above need to begin to take root: "Forget all that!" Forget what was, it will not be again - because God has something different he is doing in and through you. Forget what might have been, it never was and God isn't about to let what "used to be" to govern what "can be" through his power and grace today. Forget who you were then, you aren't going to be that person again because God's plan isn't that you "were", but that you "are".

"It is nothing compared to what I am going to do!" You whose relationship has become a tangled mess of goofed up missteps - what was is nothing compared to what is about to be - for you serve the God of restoration! You whose physical bodies have been ravaged by disease so awful - what was is nothing compared to what God will do in his redemptive power! You whose minds are so laden down with worries you should not be bearing - what was is nothing compared to what God is doing today and what he promises to do into eternity when we keep our focus clearly on him.

Lay hold of that one command and this one promise today: 

    - Forget all that!

    - It is nothing compared to what I am going to do!

Focus on this main promise:

    - I am about to do something new!

God isn't finished just because you might not see more than wilderness and barrenness ahead. He has just begun! Just sayin!

Oh, and I wanted water!

I have been considering the life of Moses and his leadership over Israel in my recent studies.  One thing I want us to see about Moses is just how God made him a gifted leader.  He didn't just "get" magically awesome answers from God in the spur of the moment - he spent time in God's presence and this connection is what allowed him to receive the "magically awesome answers" to his prayers!  Maybe this seems like it should go without saying, but keep company with God and he will keep company with you.  Most of the world doesn't get this, though.  They choose to keep company with anything BUT God and wonder why they don't have the answers they need when the times seem to challenge them.  All success in life is a matter of this connection - apart from it, there can only be fleeting success.  Today we will consider the things God uses to change our world.

Moses led Israel from the Red Sea on to the Wilderness of Shur. They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?”  So Moses cried out in prayer to God. God pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet.  That’s the place where God set up rules and procedures; that’s where he started testing them.  God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”  They came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. They set up camp there by the water.  (Exodus 15:22-27 MSG)

Sometimes we come up against some pretty bitter places in our lives.  People don't understand us, we are misinterpreted, our paths seem to converge in some place of absolute chaos.  We get the sense no one is "for" us and the world is "against" us.  In those moments, the bitterness can begin to define us or drive us - the difference is in the choice we make when faced with the "sourness" of our circumstances.  Much of the time, the choice of what we will do when we are faced with the "bitter waters" of life is determined by how we handled the last choice we made.  If we chose to complain about the last set of circumstances, chances are we will launch right into complaint this time around, too.  If we pulled away, like a turtle in a shell, hoping it would all just go away, chances are we will respond to the bitterness with avoidance this time.  The only way to change the cycle of our response is to get closer to God's presence in the midst of the circumstance.  Bitter waters are a place of choice.  Probably one of the hardest places to find ourselves is at the place of bitter waters when we have been "doing everything right".  Let me give you a little word of advice here - there is no assurance of refreshing waters just because we are "doing everything right".  There is just an assurance of provision - it may not come exactly as we expected it, but it does come!  

The bitter waters are one thing - the place of no water is another.  These are the seasons where everything in our lives just seems to be dry, dry, dry.  No matter how much we try, all comes back dry and barren.  These are the seasons where we just want to give up and not even try anymore.  At those moments, even bitter water seems better than no water at all!  At least there is water - you cannot enjoy it, but it is there!  One thing we need to see - even the farmer knows the purpose of the barren seasons.  He allows the fields to lay dormant for a while - not because he likes to see them brown and unwatered, but because he knows the "rejuvenation" of the soil comes in allowing the soil to rest a while.  No water seems a little harsh, but even the worst of water will grow weeds!  Some of us are facing these "down times" when the soil of our lives seem a little dry, parched, and totally barren.  In these times, we are tempted to turn to places where we might just find a little water - even the bitter waters.  Please know this - God has you in a season of barrenness not to "do you in", but to prepare you for the next phase of what he plans for the "soil" of your life.

In the places of bitter waters and no waters, we often come across folks who will attempt to get us focused on the condition of the "water" in our lives. They will be quick to point out how bitter our circumstances are, or how absolutely unfair it is for us to be so unproductive during this season.  The temptation for us is to actually listen to these folks instead of God.  The problem comes in their interpretation of the bitter or absent waters.  Their response to the bitter waters might be to complain, become angered over the conditions which led to the bitter waters, etc.  They have an ability to infect us with their negativity.  Those who come alongside to offer their interpretation of the lack of water seem to focus on the inability and unfaithfulness of our God.  They just don't see the work of rejuvenation "under the soil" which is preparing us for the good waters which are to come.  Be careful who you listen to in the midst of these bitter water and no water places.  It will often affect how you interpret these times and can even cause you to get a little bitter or angry yourself!

If you missed the "fix" in the passage above, read it again.  The "fix" one piece of wood - not something they brought along with them in their journey, but something prepared for them IN their journey.  The wood was there because God caused it to be exactly where they needed it to be in order to accomplish the purpose he had for the wood.  Even something as insignificant as a piece of wood in the hands of God can turn the bitterest places into the most refreshing.  The thing God wants us to see is his ability to provide even when it looks like all hope is lost.  If you missed the second part of the passage, read it again.  The bitter waters were the place where God started testing them!  Don't get frustrated with the bitter water and no water places. They are really signs of God's careful concern for our development.  There may seem to us to be some other way God could bring this development, but trust me, he knows the exact things which brings growth in us.  This is really the purpose of these places - nothing else will do what he can accomplish there. Just sayin!

Emptied to be filled again

^1-2 Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn't a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: "Give us water to drink." But Moses said, "Why pester me? Why are you testing God?"

 ³ But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, "Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?"
(Exodus 17:1-3 The Message)

Yesterday, we began to explore the lessons of the barren places of the wilderness we find ourselves in at times.  We looked at the fact that we often find ourselves "camping out" at a place where it seems like no provision will ever be made.  We find ourselves complaining, even growing a little bitter because of the seeming lack of provision in the time we are experiencing.  Today, I'd like us to consider that the steps of a righteous man (and woman) are "ordered" by God.  That means that even the dry places are by his provision!

The most awesome lesson we can embrace in the wilderness barren places of our lives is that provision for our deliverance is only available through our obedience.  Moses was called upon to lead this group of wanderers.  In his leadership, he was often faced with the challenge of a very discouraged group of followers - complaining to him about the seeming barren places they would find themselves experiencing.  That is how we are - we get delivered from something way too powerful and strong for us to ever overcome on our own (like they were delivered from the hands of the Egyptian armies) - and the next thing you know, we are in a dry place and think God has abandoned us! 

The main reason we take so long to actually get out of the wilderness is our "slowness" to learn the lessons of the wilderness journey.  The stages of the wilderness are often shortened through our immediate response to trust God, to be obedient to his direction.  But...obedience is hard and we often struggle with what we don't understand, so we "linger" a little longer at the dry places and bitter waters because of our own struggles!

When all we can see is our past, bemoaning what it is that we have "lost" in our past, we never really see the provision of the present.  In fact, we cannot see the present,  nor the future, until we turn from focusing on the past and move toward the new!  There is a lesson in the wilderness - that is the lesson of release.  In the wilderness, barren places, we learn the value of "releasing" what we have held onto with such tenacity - our past!  It may be something we viewed as "good and enjoyable" - not really a bad thing for us, but something that God wants us to be able to "release" to him so that we can press deeper into him.  It may indeed be something that God desires us to let go of because it weighs us down unnecessarily.  Regardless of the lesson of release he is teaching us, we need to be willing to open our hands (and our hearts) to let go of what he asks us to leave behind.

When we find ourselves in the midst of our complaints about the wilderness - the barren and dry places of our life - we often don't hear the voice of direction.  We miss out on the small voice of God's refreshing that direct us into the places of refreshing we so desperately yearn for.  The stages of the wilderness may just be shortened a little if we'd learn to be quiet long enough, and frequently enough, to listen for his voice in the moments of seeming barrenness.

I just returned from a trip to the East Coast - enjoying a week in the tall oaks, observing the changing of the colors of the leaves, marveling at the intensity of greens, yellows, oranges, and reds.  The time was definitely a refreshing retreat from the struggles of the present "battles" that I found myself in just prior to leaving.  I am never more thankful for the dry place than when I get to experience the refreshment of his provision!  Remember, getting through the wilderness is done in stages.  The steps may seem a little methodical, and a little tumultuous, but they are indeed steps that will reveal his provision all along the way when we keep our eyes focused on him.

When we begin to experience "release" of what we once counted on, held onto so dearly, we sometimes feel a little barren - emptied inside.  That is another lesson of the wilderness - it leaves you empty just long enough to be filled up again!  God's goal is to empty us of what really does us no good to hold onto and to fill us with that which will refresh us for the journey ahead.  Not sure what you are being asked to let go of today, but just know that when you are emptied, he stands ready to fill!

Water...I need water!

^1-2 Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn't a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: "Give us water to drink."  But Moses said, "Why pester me? Why are you testing God?"  ³ But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, "Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?"  

(Exodus 17:1-3 The Message)

Okay, I just have to ask this question - why on earth would a huge band of wandering people actually "camp out" in a place where there was absolutely no visible water for their basic physical needs?  Sometimes I think we just don't "think" about where it is that we "camp out" for a while along the way.  We "get going" with God really well, then all of a sudden, we find ourselves "camped out" at a place that seems barren, without any provision for our basic needs, let alone our spiritual needs!  Then what do we do?  You got it!  We complain to God because we are in a barren and dry place!  There are times that I wonder if God would just as soon answer with "Duh!" instead of his overwhelming patience.

As I was reading this passage with my weekly Bible Study small group, I just got carried away by God to a place of considering the words of the passage.  I want us to break this down a little to see what God can reveal to us through these "wilderness wanderings" of his people, Israel.  First, I saw that the passage began with the words, "Directed by God".  That means that they weren't in a barren and dry place totally because they just wandered out their on their own.  They were on a path with God and came upon this dry place.  The fact is, we don't know what the path will hold, but God does.  He is aware of the exact points of "barrenness and dryness" that are part of the wilderness journey and he prepares a way out of the desert place (in his time).

Coming out of the desert place is often done in stages.  We seldom find that moving from the wilderness into the land of plenty is never a "direct" journey for us.  In fact, we see that the wilderness almost presents obstacles to us ever getting out of that place!  Water was essential to this group - and they had none.  It likely seemed quite impossible to them that they'd ever leave the wilderness without the provision of water they'd need to make the journey.  We would probably equate this to the various "things" that just seem to keep "coming up" in our journey that seem to "trip us up" a little.  The fact is, God prepared this people to make the move to this very place.  Therefore, there must be a provision in what appears to have nothing of value!

Why do we move by stages through the wilderness?  God has to take enough time to teach us the lessons of the wilderness.  I think there are a lot of lessons that we only become attune to when we are stripped of all we depend upon and are face-to-face with our utter need.  In those places, no provision that we could make on our own will get us through.  In fact, we keep camping out at the bitter waters and the dry places, completely unaware of the miracle that lies just beyond the points of our intensest need!

The waters you face in the wilderness today may be a little bitter, if they exist at all.  The bitterness of reliance on our own efforts, past failures, disappointments of missed opportunities - all need God's touch to truly make them "sweetness" in our lives.  In the place of barrenness and thirst, we finally find that God's touch is all that will take care of the bitterness we have experienced.

Tomorrow, I will expand upon these lessons of the barren place a little further.  Until then, don't curse God for the barren place, but thank him for the miracle that is just around the corner.  His purpose in the barren place is just to drive us further into his provision!