A Place of Strife or a Place of Rest?

 They were led by a cloud during the day and by a pillar of fire at night so it was not by chance they found themselves at Rephidim. But what they did not find was water, so they rebelled against God and tested the Lord by saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

In the wilderness what the children of Israel believed about God was exposed. In the same way our own wilderness experience shows what we believe about God. When our control is stripped away do we murmur and complain or do we rest in God’s steadfast love and in His faithfulness?

Rephidim means "resting place" and yet because of the disbelief of the children of Israel the name was changed to Massah and Meribah. Massah mean "to test" and Meribah means "strife." Because of lack of faith the place that God had intended to be a place of rest became a place of strife. Rephidim was a place where the hardness of their hearts was exposed. 

There are things that God has allowed in my life that I would not have chosen. There are challenges that expose my weaknesses. Yet I hear an invitation in my struggle to know God in a more intimate way. 

Is it possible to rejoice always because God has promised to never leave me or forsake me? Is possible to pray without ceasing because I believe that I am His child and that He has given me access to His throne room? Can I give thanks in all things believing that He is sovereign over the details of my life? When I am faced with situations that break my heart and expose my lack of faith can I cry out to God to strengthen me through the power of His Holy Spirit?

These are wilderness questions. When we reach the end of our hoarded resources and our strength fails and the task we are facing exposes our weakness what we believe about God is also exposed. In times like this we will either enter into His rest or we will raise our fist to heaven in protest?

Oh Lord, I do not want to strive against You! I come to you, my rock and my redeemer. In You my thirst and the deepest longing of my heart is quenched. In you I find rest for my soul.