Some thoughts about playing our part.....

Recently, I was reading Exodus 15: 22-27. From the New International Version:

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. [fn5] ) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.


When things look impossible, when we are on our last leg, at the end of our rope-with no strength left, this is when we (finally) cry out to God. And then miracles can happen.

Here's what stood out to me as I read this passage:

1) Israelites cried out (griped/complained)to Moses
2) Moses (their leader) cried out to God
3) God showed Moses a specific piece of wood, the NLT says branch.
4) Moses threw the specified piece of wood into the water
5) The water became sweet/drinkable

There is an order to this story. God CAN and DOES do supernatural miracles. And often, this is our preference-as if God were a genie in a bottle. We cry out in a way that says 'save me'. Often, from a mess we have created. Sometimes, from a mess others have dumped on us.

However, it seems to me that, more often than changing things in an instant, God waits for us to ask (ie, surrender) and then obey (ie, do) something. It's a partnership of sorts. I am not implying that God needs us, or that we are equal with God. That is simply not true. God is fully sovereign. God is God and we are not. And yet, He invites us to participate in His work. Will you accept His invitation?

We get to choose to cooperate with God or not. God honors our choices. What if Moses had doubted or questioned God? I can almost hear myself asking these questions:

"What am I supposed to do Lord?"
"A branch?!? Seriously?"
"Are you kidding me?"

What if Moses had wrung his hands in worry? Or kept praying, after God showed him the branch? "Nice branch, Lord, but we need water."

If Moses was not fully surrendered to God's will AND obedient, the story may have gone differently.

The challenge for us-for all of humanity, since the Fall is how to balance prayer with action. Everything we do ought to be bathed in prayer. It is first and foremost-vitally important. It is our lifeline to God the Father. Sometimes, we get busy, we forget, we make excuses. Or we try to do things on our own power and strength. I call this 'running ahead of God'. Then I have to stop and wait-and ask the Lord to clean up my mess. And He does. Because He is full of grace and love and mercy.

At some point, we have to take action, obey, do something, play our part. Sometimes it's move ahead. Sometimes it's go back. Sometimes it's let go. Sometimes it's pray and continue to wait.

Let's focus on the balance; tuning in to God's still small voice; so that we may know God is Great!

Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.