Exodus 17:7 (New International Version)
7 And he called the place Massah [a] and Meribah [b] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
The last statement (“Is the LORD among us or not?”) really stood out to me and struck me as odd. The context of this is the Israelites in the desert; hungry and thirsty. They complain to Moses and God provides…and they question if He is with them or not?!
And then i began to wonder, how many times have i questioned God’s presence in my life? Plenty. I miss all of the miracles in my life (just as the Israelites did) and doubt that He is even with me sometimes. This got me thinking, in what ways is God evident (and obvious) in my life:
- I wake up every morning
- I have a wife and family who love me unconditionally
- I have enough money each month to pay for living expenses and sometimes extra to put away
- I hardly ever go hungry and never am thirsty without water nearby
- I have a car that runs well
- A church family who supports my wife and I
- Close friends who keep in touch
- Clothes to wear
- His word to meditate over
This list could go on. After explaining to my wife my confusion on this verse she very simply put it in perspective for me: “as we live our day to day lives we get so caught up looking for the ‘big’ miracles to happen that we miss all of the ‘little’ ones.” How true is that? Very true, I am guilty of just that. I miss God in all of the busyness of my life. I don’t look for Him, as i should, in everything that He has provided for me and that which he continues to provide.
I encourage you, take some time and “count your blessings”. You will stop looking for God and begin wondering how and why you’ve missed Him!
Aaron Aiken 