PASTOR’S CORNER, Pat Mann, President of Good Samaritan Auxiliary
Did you ever hear someone say, “Never pray for patience.?” Then they say, “If you ask God for patience, He will send circumstances that will try your patience.” Did you ever think that comment is actually biblical, or did you think it was just a phrase someone coined? This is nothing less than God the Father training His children, bringing them to maturity in the faith.
So, we have a second reason God will test His people. He will push us into a situation that will help our weak faith to grow and add patience. There was a time that the Israelites’ faith was tested, and they didn’t do very well.
Exodus 15 starts off with a great celebration after the Israelites saw with their own eyes how God brought them safely across the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh’s pursuing army as the sea closed in on them. Great celebration – God is the greatest God!! Moses is the greatest leader!
THREE VERSES LATER, Moses leads the Israelites into the wilderness after the Red Sea and the great victory celebration. They travel for three days without water, arriving at Marah, where the water was bitter.
The people grumbled against Moses, but he pleads with the Lord, who shows him a tree to cut and throw into the water, making it drinkable.
Well! Well! Well! After a great celebration – probably carrying Moses on their shoulders and singing praises to God,- now, only a short time later, they are singing a different tune. Grumbling and complaining – blaming Moses. They camped at Marah. Millions of people and no water they can drink. Oh, there was plenty of water, but it wasn’t fit to drink. They were ready to get rid of Moses and return to Egypt. They believed Moses brought them there to let them die of thirst. After all the great miracles they had witnessed in Egypt – still they had no faith.
Looks like SOMEONE in that crowd might have suggested that they have a prayer meeting and pray to the God of miracles to give them water they can drink. ONLY Moses prayed.
Solutions to extreme negative situations are easy for God. We have a God who is able. Solutions are not one bit difficult for our God. When Moses prayed, God showed him a tree, told him to cut it down and toss it into the water. Moses didn’t hesitate. He obeyed God’s instructions immediately, and the water was cleansed for the people to drink and water for the flocks and herds also. Even though God certainly knew about their weak faith, I can imagine how disappointed He was in His people who had come so far and had seen and experienced so many of God’s miracles - not years ago, but only a few days ago. Still their faith was weak. God tested them there, and they did not do well.
It seems we can trust God for the future, and we can remember times in the past when God provided in a difficult time, but can we trust Him for today – right now? Wouldn’t it be great if we could just REST in confidence of the Lord’s promises. Do we really believe it when He says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Perhaps there are times we feel forsaken when there is something difficult we are going through. Remember this – FAITH is not the same thing as FEELING.
There have been those times when I have FELT a very strong presence of the Lord. Those are wonderful and reassuring times, though few. Most of the time I just have to believe by faith that God is true to His Word. I have to BELIEVE it when He says “I will never leave you nor forsake you” even when I’m not FEELING His presence. Sometimes people want that feeling so much, they work themselves up physically to create an emotional high and then believe it is the presence of God. God wants us to “just believe.”
God told Moses, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” Most of the times when we are in a frenzy because we need a miracle from God that does not seem to be forthcoming, we are anxious and worried. We have come to the end of ourselves to solve a difficult situation. There comes those times when all we can really do is “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” God uses hard things like this to bring His people to greater spiritual maturity.
We need not despair when our faith is tested. Our Father is just building us up in the faith. Often when a difficult situation has passed, and all is okay, THEN we praise God for His provision, but how much better to trust God in the midst of a difficult situation – BEFORE we see the outcome. I love the person who is facing a life challenge, and he/she says, “God will provide.”
