- araratchurch
- Sep 8, 2022
- 2 min read
“Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, And have forgotten the God who fathered you.”
Deuteronomy 32:18 NKJV
There is a movie (I have never seen, but I know the plot-line) where because of “Goldfield Syndrome” (a fictional syndrome, combining anterograde amnesia and Alzheimer’s disease), the main female character, loses her memory every night when she goes to sleep. A young man becomes interested in her and proceeds to go on what are numerous “first” dates. Because she retains no memory of being with him, or even meeting him, he has to start over at each “first” date, trying to develop a relationship with her.
Now, as ridiculous as that premise may seem, I have seen a similar phenomenon concerning some people’s relationship with the Lord. In other words, He will do many great and mighty things for them: get them out of a tight place, heal them, or do any number of other wonderful things for them; and yet, at the next point of dissatisfaction or discomfort in their life, it is as though they have forgotten everything the Lord has done for them to that point in time. In this situation, it really looks as though the Lord has to “introduce” Himself again and again, proving the same things about Himself over and over.
And—oddly enough—our great God and King, the Creator of all things, the Almighty, is willing to prove Himself again and again.
However—I don’t know how the movie I referenced earlier ended, but I know that, with the Lord—He does not forever overlook our forgetfulness of Him.
“Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And there be none to deliver: Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”
Psalms 50:22-23 NKJV
Yes, there comes a time when forgetfulness of the Lord and His goodness, will lead to a dark path where the outstretched hand of the Lord has been spurned so often, that He removes His presence.
You need only survey a small portion of the word of God to be struck with how forgetfulness toward God has often led His people into calamity and even destruction.
“A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the Lord their God.”
Jeremiah 3:21 NKJV
Our opening scripture for today is taken from what is called “The Song of Moses” (Deuteronomy 32:1-43). In fact, it is actually the song dictated to Moses from the Lord. Moses—at the Lord’s instruction—presented this to the children of Israel just before his death on Mount Nebo. In this song, the Lord gives warning to His people about what had, and would, happen to His people because of their forgetfulness concerning the Lord.
Let us learn from the calamity that came upon the children of Israel and not repeat their error of being constantly forgetful of the goodness of God. Otherwise, we might well find ourselves left alone to navigate the wilderness of this world.
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
Don’t forget about your Leader.
- araratchurch
- Sep 6, 2022
- 3 min read
“Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.””
Exodus 15:23-26 NKJV
Have you ever looked at rainwater running down a city street? You will notice that it turns from being crystal clear to becoming dirty and debris-ridden as it heads toward the nearest culvert. Now, whereas you might be tempted to put your tongue out to catch the rain, I doubt you would be tempted to get down on your hands and knees to lap the water running down the street. (Rest assured, this is not a PSA on the dangers of drinking street water.)
That water running down the street is an object lesson of how our lives can come to be filled with bitterness (as well as all manner of evil).
Think about it: you start out a day with hopes of accomplishing this or that, with no particular dread in your heart or mind. But, given just a few moments of a bad encounter, or a stressful circumstance, you are suddenly filled with dread, angst, and possibly a whole host of other negative emotions and thoughts.
Now, the reality is that we daily experience circumstances ranging from being stressful to soul-crushing. So, it doesn’t take long for bitterness or dis-ease to become our state of being.
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,”
Psalms 30:11 NKJV
King David knew all too well how bitterness—if you allow it—can take over your life. But he also knew that the Lord can replace bitterness with gladness!
In Isaiah we see a prophetic passage referencing the mission of the Messiah. Additionally, Jesus actually read part of this passage, saying that He had fulfilled it!
“To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.””
Isaiah 61:3 NKJV
Yes, our Lord can turn our mourning into joy, our ashes into something beautiful!
Last time we referenced the oasis the children of Israel camped around after leaving the bitter waters of Marah. Today we will look more closely at the bitter waters.
Depending on the condition of the individual, you can survive three weeks without food, but only three or four days without water. So, you can understand how the additional stress of wondering in the wilderness increased their need for water consumption. At Marah, they had encountered water; but it was undrinkably bitter. But, as we see in our opening scripture, the Lord had provided the remedy for the bitterness.
No matter what life has brought your way, even for those who have been blessed with minimal grief, the fact is, we all have to deal with having our lives, our life force, our thoughts and emotions, clouded with the debris of an evil world. But, I thank God, through Jesus Christ, He has provided the ultimate antidote, or purification system, to make what has been dirtied by the sorrows of life, crystal clear!
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
Carry the Antidote for bitterness with you.
- araratchurch
- Sep 5, 2022
- 3 min read
“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.”
Exodus 15:27 NKJV
A couple of days ago we were talking about the California Gold Rush. Today we consider the phenomenon known as an oasis. The segue between these two topics is very interesting.
You see, crossing Death Valley during the Gold Rush would have been extremely difficult—if not impossible—had it not been for the spring from the Amargosa Mountain Range that creates a natural oasis at Furnace Creek. Just so you know, Death Valley has the highest ever recorded temperature at around 134 degrees (Fahrenheit). It goes without saying that these strike-it-rich hopefuls desperately needed a place to refresh and restore their water supplies before carrying on. As well, mining was done in that area.
Their experience calls to mind these wonderful words from Isaiah:
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ” Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2-3 NKJV
Did you know Jesus Spoke of Himself as being what could be described as an oasis?
“Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.””
John 4:10, 13-14 NKJV
He said these words to the Samaritan woman at the well. Additionally, He expressed the same sentiment in front of those gathered for the Feast of Tabernacles.
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
John 7:37-39 NKJV
Today we find that the children of Israel arrived at an oasis. They just came from Marah where the bitter waters were made sweet by the Lord.
Now they could find refreshment, not only with an abundance of water, but also with the fruit from the wonderful date palms.
As I have commented on more than one occasion, this world is a wilderness; any attempt to find solace and peace and refreshment from what it has to offer will be disastrously futile. And yet, we find that many people take a “more of the same approach,” continuing to try to find rest where there is no rest, peace where there is no peace, hope were there is no hope. All the while our Savior bids us come to Him and find the rest His oasis offers. And did you notice? We will also become springs of living water for a lost and thirsty world.
For today write this in your “wilderness journal”:
Find rest at the oasis.