As I continue my goal of reading through the bible in a year, it continues to astound me what a blessing it has been.  Granted, there have been a few sections of scripture in which I have questioned its ability to have any significant life changing application.  A prime example: Numbers 26:12.  It says, “The descendants of Simeon by their clans were: through Nemuel, the Nemuelite clan; through Jamin, the Jaminite clan; through Jakin, the Jakinite clan…” My response to God is like that of what I would have said to my own Father when I was twelve.  ”No duh, Dad.”   Jamin was father to the Jaminite clan.  Perfect.  Life change for sure.  (Insert sarcastic eye roll here.)

Don’t get me wrong.  I think every single word in scripture is God inspired and is there for a clear and specific purpose.   2 Timothy 3:16 states;  ”All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”   Notice the word “all.”  Though I know there are times I definitely miss that purpose, I know and have found the resounding truth in my own experiences that Scripture will change your life and all of it is of value.

However, in the effort of full disclosure I will tell you that was not my attitude as I approached Numbers 33 today and saw the glaring headline “Stages in Israel’s Journey” was not of one of  life changing expectancy.  It was more like,  ”Great, another list.”

Okay, okay.  Don’t judge me.  You know when you get to that list of hundreds of names you think similar thoughts.  But here is the amazing truth about our God.  He shows up even when I assume he won’t.  Stinky attitude or not, he loves me just the same and decides he won’t ignore me for a stupid comment such as the one I just stated.  I can’t say I would take the same approach if I were God.

That above statement aside, I am still determined to read every single word of the Bible so skipping this section was not an option.  Again, with the patient God we serve he uses my ridiculous motivations and uses them to guide me just the same.  So, I begin my journey in reading names that mean nothing and towns and bodies of water I have never heard of.  A friend of mine jokes that I am geographically anemic and he speaks truth.  I can hardly find Russia on a map let alone Pi Hahiroth.

By verse fourteen I find myself in all my wanderings with Israel in Rephidim, wherever that is.  I do know it is in the desert though.  Numbers 14 says, “They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.”  Okay, clearly.  They are in the desert, right?  But God opened my eyes to something I never realized before.

Leave it to God to just be awesome at the most unexpected times.  He brought a verse to mind that I had read a few weeks ago.  Exodus 40:36-38 says, “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out-until the day it lifted.  So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.”

There’s that darn word “all” again.  Is it safe to say we serve a very consistent, faithful God?  (I think I am going to throw patient in there as well.  First hand experience speaking here.)  In every single area that Israel set foot, it was clear that God either wanted them to move, or wanted them to wait.  When he wanted them to move, he lifted his presence and they set out under his watchful eye.  When he wanted them to set up camp, his presence descended upon the tabernacle.

What is difficult to accept is this meant God told them to set up camp in an area that there was no water.  Ugh.  I don’t know about you, but if I am setting up camp with hundreds of thousands of people, the area without water would be my very last choice.  But apparently it was God’s first at this particular time.

Heck, just five short verse ago God had his people settle in Elim, where apparently there was lots of water; twelve springs and seventy palm trees to be exact.  (Apparently someone counted.)  Why didn’t Israel stay there?  Because God didn’t want to them to stay there.  So they packed up their tents, and their camels and their supplies and headed back out into the desert.  *Sigh.  I never liked the desert.

Why God?  Why do you call your people into land with no water?  Why do you call us into trials and tribulations far beyond our ability to endure?   Why?  Because as tough as it is to be led into an area when we are “lacking”, it gives God power to be God; to do the impossible, to work in miraculous ways.

When I think about the Israel’s journey,  the times God led his chosen people into “the fire,” he provided for them in miraculous ways.  Their desperate need gave their God an opportunity to also be their Savior.  Their fears and doubts gave God the platform to show His intense love for his people.  I don’t know about you, but I need those reminders with a depth that runs every bit as deep as those Israelites.

There is a song that has really taken hold of my heart in the last few days.  It is called “If You Say Go” by Jeff Berry Band.  The following line has completely changed the way I look at my suffering:

“Your ways are higher than our ways. And the plans that you have made are good and true. If you call us to the fire, You will not withdraw your hand. We’ll gaze into the flames and look to you.”

Think about that.  When I see roaring, towering flames around me, I tend to take the natural response.  I’m pretty upset.  Well, maybe it’s more like a screaming kid, frantically running in circles yelping, “I’m gonna die!!!!!!!!”  But, whatever…  But what if I change that response.  What if I see the flames with the understand that if this is where I am called right now.  If I approach the flames with the knowledge that God’s hand will be with me as sure as I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning.  Not only that, but what if my attitude is that such as the song describes.  I am not going to run, rather I am going to look straight into those flames.  And when I do, what I see is not death, it’s Jesus working in the midst of the raging fire.

How cool is that?  Oh yeah, I see smoke and I see fire.  But I also see Jesus.  I don’t know about you, but that is exactly where I want to be- with my Savior.  I always wanted to be one of those “fire walkers” anyway.  ;)