This was our starter question at a recent Life Group. There were suggestions about methods for storing water and food. One person suggested that a compass to help find your way out might be useful. We rule out “Bear Grylls” and “the Amazon app” as breaking the spirit of the rules of the game.
The reason we were asking that question was because on the previous Sunday, we had a sermon on Exodus 16-17 and the guest preacher had titles it “How to survive in the desert”. So, the follow up question was “What would you take with you to survive the spiritual desert.” Before we discussed that question, we considered two points.
First, careful observers will recognise that the Israelites were not completely without food. They had brought their livestock with them. Indeed, they should arguably have been alert to the possibility that there was water to find in the region. They were not far off from where Moses had met his wife at a well.
So, something else seemed to be going on. There was a re-imagining of their past life in Egypt. They forgot about their harsh treatment and their status as slaves. Instead, they focused on the perceived conveniences and luxuries of Egypt. Would those things have really, truly been available to them? Perhaps there was even an underpinning belief that they would eventually see a change of regime and a new Pharoah might look favourably on them again. Perhaps some of them, noting that Moses was now 80 did not remember life back 80 years ago and thought that their experience as slaves was down to Moses, connecting it with his murder of an Egyptian 40 years previously and flight into exile. Was this just about rivalry between the potential heirs? Maybe, there was a lack of faith for the future. How long would they be in the wilderness, would they even find a way out? Best to hang on to the livestock, at least it had monetary value.
The second point relates to something I’ve picked up on recently. We know from Scripture that God may lead his people through a wilderness or desert like experience. However, some people have pushed that further to suggest that God may at times intentionally desert or abandon us to teach us something. However, the reality is that God never abandons us. He did not leave the Israelites on their own and nor does he leave us alone.
So, what do we need? Well, in fact, Exodus tells us that itself, once we get a sense of the context. First, we have the clue of water from the rock. Paul on 1 Corinthians 10 says that Christ himself was the rock and Jesus talked about streams of living water flowing out from him, a reference to the Holy Spirit. Then straight after the complaining and the provision of water and food, two things happen. God fights for Israel and defeats an enemy. Then he gives them his Law at Mount Sinai. God’s Word reveals who he is. Indeed, Christ is himself the living word, just as he is the living bread and the water of life.
What do we really need to survive in the spiritual desert? We need God himself. We need the Holy Spirit. We need to be able to say that “Christ is enough for me.”
Now, this doesn’t just mean we should seek a kind of mystical contentment. We should not ne seeking to add things on to Christ. However, we might look to things that remind us of his presence and sufficiency. We need God’s Word in Scripture, baptism, communion as a reminder of Christ’s death and resurrection, testimony, a community of encouragement etc. These are not add ons but rather the things that bring us back to Christ, the all sufficient one who leads, protects and provides in the desert.
Faithroots 