From where I sit at this desk the world looks beautiful today. It is beautiful because you are in it. Tell someone you love them today and know that you are loved also. I am sipping on a very hot cup of Door County Jingle Bell Java Coffee. This is what we do around here in the morning!
We will continue to discuss "Crisis Of Faith". This is when God calls you to where He is working and you respond in faith. This always produces a test of your faith somewhere, somehow.
Yesterday I wrote about a short term mission trip to Mexico. My story continues today and it is all about water. The temperature in Mexico was averaging 111 degrees Fahrenheit each day. I had never experienced heat like that before. The large group we were leading was very inexperienced and somewhat immature. They really did not want to experience God, but wanted a feel good "canned mission trip" with lots of music and baby hugging moments. In all reality this makes for an easy mission trip, but rather boring.
Hydration was very important with that extreme heat. We had a good supply of pure bottled water. The team did as they were told and drank the right amounts of water. By mid week our water supply had dwindled down. As any good project leader would do, I ordered a supply of water from our host. Si Si sir he said and told me the water would be there tomorrow. We had enough for a day and a half. Our team of teenagers had several adult leaders who worried about everything. The next morning they came to me in a group. This was after I told them the night before that I had ordered water. They wanted to let me know that the water supply was low. I assured them that we had enough for the day and enough to get us into the night. But I could see that this was not good enough. So I said let's pray. We prayed and I went to my room to work on some paperwork before we left on buses for ministry. I was just into my work when my friend and travel companion came knocking on my door. "Hey they are really worried about the water supply", she said. I assured her that we had prayed and needed to trust God. After she left I was just about to pray again when as clear as a bell the following account of Moses came to my mind. I opened my Bible and read this.
Numbers 20Living Bible (TLB)
20 The people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin in April[a] and camped at Kadesh, where Miriam died and was buried. 2 There was not enough water to drink at that place, so the people again rebelled against Moses and Aaron. A great mob formed, 3 and they held a protest meeting.
“Would that we too had died with our dear brothers the Lord killed!” they shouted at Moses. 4 “You have deliberately brought us into this wilderness to get rid of us, along with our flocks and herds. 5 Why did you ever make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this evil place? Where is the fertile land of wonderful crops—the figs, vines, and pomegranates you told us about? Why, there isn’t even water enough to drink!”6 Moses and Aaron turned away and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face downward before the Lord; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them.
7 And he said to Moses, 8 “Get Aaron’s rod;[b] then you and Aaron must summon the people. As they watch, speak to that rock over there and tell it to pour out its water! You will give them water from a rock, enough for all the people and all their cattle!”
9 So Moses did as instructed. He took the rod from the place where it was kept before the Lord; 10 then Moses and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring you water from this rock?”
11 Then Moses lifted the rod and struck the rock twice, and water gushed out; and the people and their cattle drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me[c] and did not sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, you shall not bring them into the land I have promised them!” God was angered when Moses hit the rock twice instead of just speaking to it. I was not going to ask twice.
I opened the door and called her back. I told her "Do not pray for that water again and do not let them bait you into pestering God. He said He would take care of us and He knows we will need water later."
Within minutes a man with a donkey arrived with just enough water for the next day. Our host had called him and asked him to share his water until a truck could come with more.
I explained to the team that God had provided water for the day and we should be thankful. They were quiet but not content. Later that day as we returned from ministry work after they had asked me to buy water in the city all day long at a higher price than what we were paying just because of their fear, I saw a big truck at our ranch delivering water enough to last a week, We only had three more days to go. Besides that, the delivery man brought us a large supply of ice for the freezer. Ice cold water in Mexico! God is good. The team drank cold water but never realized how God had really come through. Did I mention the truck was not refrigerated and the delivery man brought us ice? Did I mention that the temperature was 111 degrees Fahrenheit? Only God could keep the ice from melting! The team missed the whole miracle. But not my friend and me.
That night as I was praying, I asked God what would have happened if I had prayed again for water after asking Him once. There was no reply, but that night as I slept I kept dreaming about being flooded. I wonder? What will you trust God to do today? Can you trust Him to comfort you in the midst of troubles?
God bless,
Marty
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