“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 4:14 NLT
Watching my kids play in the water is so peaceful and exciting. As a parent, experiencing my kid’s learning journey is at the top of my “ Why Parenting is Awesome” list. Each played in their own way, but both were mesmerized by the water, intrigued by the way it moved or made their hands feel, excited by every splash of a toy or drip from a leaky bucket.
We are so blessed to have access to this water right now. As of recently, Missouri was declared in a state of drought. This means farmers all across our state are working overtime to keep their crops and livestock alive.
This got me thinking about my current Bible study. It is a study of Numbers called, “With Us in the Wilderness,” by Lauren Chandler. I’ll admit, this Bible study really took me a minute to latch onto. I even almost quit about a third of the way through because I wondered if maybe I wasn’t knowledgeable enough about the Bible to understand the book of Numbers or that this wasn’t the right study for me. But now I understand why the author chose to focus on certain parts of Numbers that seemed more technical in nature and I’ve found a very personal connection with this book.
One of the more recent stories I studied from Numbers can be found in Chapter 20. (Spoiler alert: this is one of the most depressing chapters in the book of Numbers that I have read so far. Brace yourself.) I’m talking about when Moses and Aaron rebelled against God. Do you know that story? If not, I encourage you to go read Numbers 20: 2-13 and come back.
Do you remember those little puzzles from our childhood that would compare two pictures and you’d have to spot all the differences? At this time, I think I should admit that I wasn’t always the best at those challenges (thanks, Highlights Magazine, for helping me find my strengths at such a young age. Attention to detail? Mediocre).
The reason I ask you to recall those comparison puzzles, is because I genuinely struggled to understand what Moses did to offend God so much that He would hit Moses and Aaron with such a severe punishment. I read both God’s instructions and Moses’ actions over and over and still didn’t notice the small difference. I even had to consult my husband for wisdom. The rebellion was simple - God asked Moses to speak to the rock to make water flow for the people who were thirsty in the dessert. Moses struck the rock with Aaron’s staff. The water still flowed from the rock, but God was quick to deliver the bad news that neither Moses, nor Aaron, would enter the promised land as a result of their disobedience.
When I first read this, I thought, “That seems so harsh! What if it was just a misunderstanding?” But here’s the thing - God knows our hearts and our intentions. He knew that Moses made an intentional and faithless choice. This, along with many other stories, has taught me a little something about God’s will and how He prepares us for His plan for us.
[If you have interest in checking out this study of Numbers, you can find it here on Amazon.]
I’ve been asking God a LOT about His plan for me. I’ve been seeking as many opportunities to hear Him speak to me or glean some devine wisdom as possible. One avenue I’ve been bindging is the “Made for Her” Podcast. Today, I listened to an episode about discovering our devine gifts and passions. She mentioned that sometimes we need another human to notice and tell us what our gifts are and I feel like I witnessed Bennett’s passions and gifts all at once.
After my baby was in bed, big brother was excited to spend some time painting with mommy to round out his evening. I was fascinated watching him learn and grow using his own watercolor paint set and brushes, smearing color after color on top of each other in a big spot on the page, and methodically rinsing his brushes between each color.
This kid has a passion and a talent for art and creation, exploring, and learning. That moment made me want to nurture his skill, teach him, grow with him. So I showed him a few little watercolor tricks - sprinkling salt, spraying with a spray bottle, and dabbing up the extra water with his paper towel. Of course, he’s three, so he had forgotten all about it in a matter of seconds.
When he went back to the table right before bed, he exclaimed, “What happened to my paper?!” As his artwork sat, the salt continued to work, the dabbing dried, the sprayed areas became more noticable. It looked like a completely different piece than before.
That is when it struck me. Are you ready for the AHA! Moment? God is polishing us in our time of waiting and wandering. We are His artwork. When He is done teaching us all the techniques and perfecting our skills, THAT is when we will truly find our calling. THAT is when He reveals to us His plan. THAT is when He puts a mirror in front of us and we exclaim with gratitude and wonder, “What happened to the old me?!”
In that time of wandering through the wilderness, we might be feeling like we’ll never get to our Promised Land. We might be receiving punishments from God as He works to teach us all we’ll need to know to walk confidently and faithfully on the path He’s paved for us. But we also might be blessed with many gifts of His presence, grace, and mercy! He won’t let us die in the desert of dehydration - so call out to Him! Speak to the rock and He will eventually make the water flow! Drink the water He gives and let it bubble inside you and make you new!
My advice to you (and me) is this - if you feel like you’re in a season of wandering right now - persevere. He’ll lead you exactly where He needs you. Learn from your mistakes, grow through the hard times, and know that you’re never alone.
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