Wandering in the Wilderness

Time has been cutting short for me in my time in Israel....things happening so fast I haven't been able to sit and blog about them. We've had so many trips recently...4 days in the Negev, 8 days in Galilee, and 8 days in Egypt.

But now I can sit down and reflect on some of the things I remember. When we journeyed through the Negev, the southern desert of Israel, we stopped in the middle of nowhere and Bill let us off the bus to 'wander in the wilderness' for forty minutes! haha. I took my Bible and started trekking around the desert, and eventually settled to hike up this steep hill. About half-way up I realized I was running short of time, so I sat and read Deuteronomy 8.

Put yourself in the shoes of the Israelites wandering around. Every morning the same food appears for them out of nowhere--they eat for free, no work, just gathering. Their clothes don't wear out so they don't have to worry about that. And water is provided on top of that. And the cloud (or flame) of the Lord is guiding them. They've been told by Moses that the Lord will lead them and so they follow and follow and follow, walk and walk and walk. Yet they complained.

Why? Was it because of the horrible conditions? I don't think so--this wasn't some third world country they were living in--food and water on the go for free. Yeah it's the same, but it's reliable! No. It's because they forgot who the Lord their God was. They didn't trust Him. They didn't believe that He was worth it. They didn't want to think that God would consistently provide for them. They wanted different food. They didn't want this plan. They didn't know who God was and the amazing things He was doing. They forgot. They did not obey.

Obeying God is remember Him and His Torah (His teaching). Obeying God is not forgetting who He is and what He has commanded. Obeying God is walking in His ways and fearing Him.

After reading Deuteronomy 8 and reflecting on this, I grabbed twelve small stones from around me as a memorial to remember the Lord and what He has done, not just on that day, not just on that trip to the Negev, not just on my time in Israel, but on everything He has provided for and everything He is, which is testified in my life.