Israel in the Wilderness

Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 16:1-34

Isaiah 55 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”I don’t think there is a better passage of scripture, to sum up the story of God’s people in the wilderness than that. Just freed from Egypt, God’s people were upset. Why would they be brought out of slavery and into… the wilderness?

Difficult circumstances often lead to stress or anxiety; one of our most natural responses is complaining. God’s people didn’t really want to go back to Egypt, but in the same way, my toddler throws himself on the ground when I say no to another snack (when he has an uneaten one in his hand), God’s people wanted God to make their lives easier and give them what they wanted. God was holding up His end of the deal, He had delivered them from their enemy, and He provided all of their physical needs. The Israelites just couldn’t see beyond their distress and realize that their stress was coming from a lack of trust in God; they just wanted to escape the discomfort as quickly as possible.

God is a good Father, but He is also a wise parent. He knows how to discipline His children in a way that will bring flourishing and redemption. When it feels as though we are in a “wilderness” season, would we remember the words from Isaiah 55; His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. We can trust His process because He is the one who holds everything in His hands. Even the hairs on our heads are numbered by Him. He will provide all that we need and more.