Posted on August 25, 2021 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV)
Ever jump over a puddle and underestimate the distance? Now it ain’t really no big deal if the depth of this mere puddle barely covers the sole of your shoes but you really don’t know that until you make the effort to jump. Any of us who have crossed over the Bay Bridge, that spans over the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, knows the feeling of iffiness when you’re about halfway across the 5-mile length. Is the western shore up ahead yet? Ever wonder how the Israelites felt standing on the edge of the Red Sea as the Egyptian Army was right on their heels? Oh wait, we have that…
“Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” (Exodus 14:11b-12)
Anyone who has watched Charlton Heston knows that its at this moment where he raises his arms and yells out, “Behold His Mighty Hand” and just like that…the Red Sea parts (mic drop). Yeah, that’s not in Scripture but in all actually when this scene is over in the Book of Exodus, the Israelites were filled with awe and then they put their faith in the LORD and in Moses…sorta. Ya see, it isn’t what happened on the other side of the Red Sea or when they got to the Promised Land that mattered, it was what they did in the gap between the two events.
Many call this the “The Wilderness Wandering” because that what it was, pretty much. The first few years were spent doing a major project for YHVH but when it got testy, these people grumbled. We’ll see that it didn’t take longer either, because after Miriam sang her song in Exodus 15:21 we’ll see by verse 24 that “the people complained and turned against Moses” because the water was bitter, but YHVH fixed that.
In Exodus 16, we’ll see that by verse 2 the people will complain again because they haven’t arrived at a Chic-Fil-a yet and they’re hungry. Again, YHVH will provide “Manna and Quail from Heaven” and by the time we get to verse 2 (again) in Exodus 17, “the people complained against Moses, “Give us water to drink!” they demanded.” You’da thought that these guys would remember what YHVH did for them back in chapter 15 but apparently that doesn’t happen. However, there is something to note here…
This kinda grumbling (complaining) means to have a lack of spiritual insight, to be so focused on your own circumstances that it keeps you from looking up and seeing what Gods doing. This grumbling in the wilderness is what kept the Nation of Israel wandering around in circle for many years without even noticing that they may have seen that tree or mountain before. My point, it’s not a nothing to grumble in the gap…now what of today?
Well, there are so many folks out there so happy to be Christians these days that we’re literally screaming for rival in our lands!! (Yeah, read that again) We’re all so happy with how America is being run that we want God to “Behold His Mighty Hand” and smite down those who opposes His people with a mighty smiting. AND when He is done with them, we need those people across the aisle at church smited down because they oppose the color of the upholstery on our seats and our choice of music!! Yeah, nothing says Christianity better than one side grumbling about the other side over chairs and music before Jesus returns. Anyway…
“As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” (Mark 4:35) It wouldn’t take long before this scene turned ugly. A storm rises, the disciples panic, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, these 12 men saw just what the Lord could already do and yet they still complained…even with Jesus in the boat!
As followers of Jesus, our lives are to be as a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. This means whether we’re wandering in the wilderness gap or actually in the boat we need to understand that we are being used like a sweet perfume to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere. To those being saved, we are a life-giving perfume, to others not so much. So, make sure you’re smelling good as you’re crossing the gap. Amen?
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a husband, a father, has an education in Biblical doctrine and is a graduate of The Colony of Mercy. He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can email him at cphughes515@verizon.net
Think About This: “Among those sins most exquisitely fitted to injure the soul and destroy the testimony, few can equal the sin of complaining. Yet the habit is so widespread that we hardly notice it among us.” – A.W. Tozer
The Daily Bible Reading: Philippians 3 | You can download our 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another -1 John 3:11
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