Welcome to the P.J. (Pastor J) Sound Theology Blog

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Is God among us or not?


As I watch CNN and MSNBC, all I see is doubt and negativity. Everyone seems so uptight and is assured that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. This might be true but I am reminded of the Hebrew people in the Exodus narratives. God continually provided for them when times seemed as dark as possible, even when they constantly doubted. Let's take a closer look.

Exodus 17

1From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ 3But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ 4So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ 5The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He called the place Massah because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

In the text this is the third time that the people have questioned God's provisions for them. Just like Christians today the Hebrew people time and time again felt that God had abandon them. When it was them who had no faith and actually abandon God. Do we as Christians because of our lack of faith abandon God?


Today and this week let's focus on how we can learn to trust and lean on God more, choosing to be consciously faithful in all situations no matter how big or small, political or social.
We will dig deeper tomorrow.
Love Pastor J.

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