So, we’ve just heard a very long and detailed passage from the gospel of John which raises many questions, like – who was this woman and how did she get five husbands? Why was Jesus talking to her at the well so scandalous. Why was worshipping on a mountain or in Jerusalem such a big deal? And, what exactly does “living water” taste like?   In pulpits across the world this morning these questions will be examined. Pieces of John’s rich text will be dissected and considered. There is plenty of material, context and content to hold up.

But apparently, God doesn’t want me to take you there today. Instead, he’s pulled me into the wilderness of Sin! From the moment I read this week’s propers, the four scripture passages appointed for the 3^rd Sunday in Lent, I was pointed to this short lesson from the 17^th Chapter of Exodus. Here we are in the proverbial desert with Moses and the two million recently released Israelites. They are only 3 chapters out of Egypt, only 63 brief verses past Pharaoh’s charging chariots and already they are complaining. Finally free from unrelenting tyranny, at last liberated from back-breaking oppression, and the grumbling has begun. For generations, God’s chosen people have been captives of a hard dismissive nation. Their parents have lived and died as slaves. Slavery is all they’ve ever known and slavery is the life they expect for their children. From birth to grave, every day of their life belongs to someone else. 

Think of this existence. Think of the never ending drudgery and despair. To awaken every single morning knowing that this could easily be the day your brick count might fall short and you could be beaten or left to starve at the pyramid site. This is the day you could be sold to another household and when your husband or father, brother or son returned from the fields, you’d be gone. This could be the day you’d lose contact with your child. They’d be taken from your care and protection.   Imagine the life of Abraham’s descendents living in exile – no control over the course of their own lives, no voice, no power for self-determination, no freedom to move where or when they pleased. 

Every aspect of the Hebrew people’s lives was under the domination and whims of their Egyptian overlords. And, when humans have unrestrained control over others, they turn hard. As their power increases, their humanity and empathy decreases. History makes too clear that domination diminishes us all. Disproportionate power strips the weak of dignity, confidence, and hope just as it robs the strong of compassion, moderation and their moral center.

Into this horrific mess, into this unhealthy and evil system, God sends a deliverer. God dispatches Moses to free his people. And, after exciting debate, will he, won’t he, will he, won’t he, let the people go; after 10 bizarre plagues, frogs and locusts, sores and blood, fog and gnats, hail and thunder and even infanticide, the Israelites are finally released. They pack quickly. They move quickly. This is their one chance for a new destiny. This is their one moment to escape a continued history of deprivation and desperation. The future is something grand and hope-filled and it is within their grasp. Out of Egypt, across the sea, out of range from Pharaoh’s swords and crushing wheels and pounding horses, they walk. Into the Sinai Peninsula, into the wilderness of Sin, they are safe. They are free! They can breathe and live and make their own choices. And, for 18 verses they sing! “I will sing to the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously. The Lord is my strength and my might, he has become my salvation; this is my God and I will praise him, my father’s God and I will exalt him. In your steadfast love – you led the people whom you redeemed; you guided then by your strength to your holy abode. The Lord will reign forever and ever.”

“I will praise him. I will exalt him.” The Lord will reign forever and ever and yet…And yet three days later the joyful, thankful, hope-filled, confident, assured chosen people are in the wilderness of Shur crying to Moses about the bitterness of the water. Then God leads them to Elim to 12 springs of water and the shade of many palm trees. Two months later, moving from Elim to the wilderness of Sin, the people complain to Moses about the lack of food. “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Now, suddenly, Egypt is the place of peace and plenty. 

And in response to their cries, God sends manna from heaven. Every day, every morning as the sun rises, the grass is covered with fresh bread to be gathered up – enough for everyone and twice as much on the sixth day so they can rest on the Sabbath. When the bread fails to suit them, God revises the plan. Every evening he sends quail to cover the camp. Every morning the bread is available. With very little toil, food is provided. And so the Israelites, well-fed, traveled on, farther into the wilderness of Sin.

Here is their recent reality: enslaved for generations, freed for less than 3 months, all now traveling together, all their families safe, all their members accounted for, free to move on, to stop and play, to rest and worship, no enemies yet in sight, guided by God’s grace, a visible sign every step of the journey, a pillar of cloud by day, a pillar of five by night. Life appears to be good. Life appears to be in hands of a loving, benevolent God. All is being worked out well and for good. And then, once again, there is anxiety. At the camp at Rephidim, there is not water. The better Hebrew translation reads, “There was not enough water for the people to drink.” And, so the complaining and the quarreling begin. The familiar rant ensues, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” And Moses is fed up! He’s tired and worn down and a little afraid of these inconstant, volatile people. “God, what do you want me to do with them?”

We have an awesome God. We have an awesome God! I cannot fathom His patience. I cannot comprehend his willingness to abide with such feckless creatures. Why He doesn’t snort, turn his back and walk away baffles me.   Under these circumstances, having rescued the old and young, the healthy and impaired, having brought them out of bondage and despair to a place of peace and freedom, having provided for their needs at every turn, to endure their whining and in-fighting, their doubt and presumption is too much to bear. Reason, logic, normal endurance suggests that God answers Moses in this way: “Tell them, today, thirst is the least of their problems. Tell them I’m done! I don’t need their nonsense. They are so weak! They’re weak in their faith; they’re weak in their loyalty. They have no gratitude. It’s always, ‘what have you done for me in the last 15 minutes.’ Seriously, I don’t need this aggravation. I have angels, choirs of angels to sing for me and rub my feet and blow cool breezes over me with their wings. They never complain. They’re always appreciative. And for sheer pleasure and benevolence, I could create a new people. It’s not that big a deal for me. Six days, six days and I can have something fresh and no doubt much improved! And Moses, just between us, it doesn’t even take six days. One big bang is all I need. Particles and gases; atoms splitting and colliding, cells are born and they replicate and before you know it, the day and the night are separated, the land and the waters divide, every creature that swims in the sea, every creature that crawls on the earth, every creature that flies in the air is in place. Geodes and ecosystems operate without supervision. It all unfolds, homo-erectus, homo-sapiens, ages, millenniums, it’s a blink of the eye in my time. 

One thought, one stray thought and I, God, can end my involvement with this substandard population and start over. In fact, in a flash of divine insight, I see that the cosmic explosion to bring this quarrelsome world to an end could also serve as the generating force to begin the new cycle – sort of a creation twofer!”

But this is not the answer God gives Moses. When the plea goes up, “Lord, what am I to do with these complaining people,” God responds, “Take them to the rock of Horeb and I will give them water.” We have an awesome God. Our God will not allow his patience to be broken; our God refuses to conform to our human standards. Despite our persistent efforts to domesticate and diminish his powers, God prevails. We pretend God isn’t really in charge and at work in the world. We “forget” that it is his system of order and insight that puts everything into play. The earth rotates on its axis, the sun shines, the rains come, fields are nourished and give their yield. We are fed. The cisterns wait for their fill, our thirsts are answered. We go out, we come in, and we are safe. Love comes into our lives, we are not alone. We take so much for granted. We ignore the day to day blessings and wonders of our lives and how gracious God is to us. And when the moments of stress arrive, we react so out of proportion. We respond as if God has never helped us before, as if there is all new territory and we’ll be left to our own insufficient devises.

We’re so like the ancient Hebrews, who forget that when the food is scarce, God provided. When the well was running dry, God provided. And when they couldn’t endure one more day under Pharaoh’s rule, God provided. We’re so like the ungrateful chosen who failed to recognize God’s ever faithful presence in their lives. Like them, we don’t make note of all the good and generous elements operating in our lives. We don’t say, “Thank you, Lord,” anywhere near enough. We just assume life and ease are our due. We forget all that we have is a gift. Glass half empty, glass half full, we miss the point! We have a glass. There’s something in it. We aren’t left to thirst. God looks after us – always. Even when we ignore him, even when we complain, God looks after us. He doesn’t walk away.

Yes, we have an amazing God. He deserves an amazing people.

Can we be that? Can we be the people He deserves? Can we put down the whine and take up the praise? Can we remember to start and end each day with, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord? You have blessed me well today and I am grateful. And Lord, all the things I’m worried about, all the things troubling my mind and spirit, I leave to you. I know you will work them out for my good and I am grateful.”

To be the people our awesome God deserves, can we remember the words of this morning’s prayer, “Almighty God, because we do not have sufficient power in ourselves to help ourselves, please defend us against all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul,” all evil thoughts like- ingratitude. Please Lord, lead us to thankfulness.