Text: Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 16:1-36, Exodus 17:1-7, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Psalm 105:40-42
“EVERYBODY OUTSIDE,” I yelled, losing all of my carefully collected cool babysitter points in one fell swoop. The freckled brother and sister looked defeated, realizing their plan to convince me to let them sleep in the refrigerator doors had misfired.
We stood in the backyard with grass up to our ankles, my feet the only ones remaining still.
The girl’s pigtails twirled as she spread her arms and began spinning around and around in a circle. “Topsy turvy!” the boy squealed in delight, joining his sister until their knees buckled and hit the ground, their heads continuing to spin. They laughed at the dizzy, dark spots in their vision, and stood up to begin again. “You too!” they gestured.
I obliged, joining in for the sake of the thank-goodness-we’re-over-the-refrigerator incident. My arms, double the span of theirs, flung wide as I twirled around, my ponytail flapping in the wind. My knees buckled, and I stared into the same dizzy, dark spots. But it wasn’t very fun, and I didn’t want to do it again. Although it had been years since I’d worn pigtails and found joy in my own topsy turvy-ing, the resulting feeling felt strangely familiar. It was disorienting, unknown and scary, much like the wilderness.
I experience the same dizziness when I’m tossed by fear, pushed by doubt, and wrangled by sin, so I thrash for control. The Israelites did something similar, asking questions they hoped would domesticate the wild:
“What are we to drink?” (Exodus 15: 24).
“What is it?” (Exodus 16:15).
“Why did you do this?” (Exodus 17:3).
“Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7).
With no response in sight, they continued to spin aimlessly, dizzied spots masking their eyes.
As I sat in the grass watching the kids continue to twirl, I was reminded of a trick I’d learned in ballet as a little girl—spotting. In order to prevent dizziness, you choose a still object to fix your eyes on. With every turn of the pirouette, your head whips around to find your focal point, and you remain upright and dizzy-free. Reminded of this trick from childhood, I stood up, determined to try one more time. This time I glued my eyes to a nearby birdhouse as my body rotated again and again. It worked!
Moses must have known this trick, too. While the Israelites continued to whirl in the wilderness, Moses kept His eyes fixed on one thing—God. With each unsettling turn of circumstances, Moses’ knees never buckled. God’s provision kept Moses standing firm by turning water from bitter to sweet (Exodus 15:25), raining manna from heaven (Exodus 16:4), and providing drinking water from the rock of Christ (Exodus 17:6).
Moses’ determination was to remain upright in God’s promises, and he was used to fulfill the biggest one of them all—God’s holy promise to Abraham (Psalm 105:42). God established an entire nation of descendants through Moses!
Friend, do you feel dizzied by the wilderness? Today, let’s try fixing our eyes on God’s presence. Let’s choose to trade the unsteady dark spots for the clarity of His faithfulness. May our spinning be steadied by His almighty hand. Amen.
Here are the questions of the
wilderness, “What!” “Where!”
“How?” Faith has a brief but
comprehensive answer to all
the three, namely, God!
–Charles Henry Mackintosh
I actually got a lot from today. I was the little girl that used to twirl around making myself dizzy. I’m not in a wilderness but I’m doubting on what to do after graduation. My plan has changed due to circumstances, and now I must sit back to reflect what to do next.
I’m sorry you feel that way about her writings but I’ve actually gotten a lot out of them. She is saying that many times we feel lost and dizzy and lose sight of God. When we don’t keep our eyes on Him, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, confused, and fall. But, if we keep our eyes locked on Him, then we are steadied. We don’t fall. We don’t get dizzy. We see Him and He keeps us upright. This devotional seriously helped bring me some clarity, so I hope that clears it up a little.
Boy, yesterday and today’s devos speak to directly to me. Just have to keep my eyes on Jesus. He will give me each day’s suspense…spiritually but also physically…
*sustenance. (I find it very difficult to comment on this site using an iPad, via the app…)
Love this, Rochelle. Thanks for joining us today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
The wildnerness has beat me up so much. Every time I take my eyes off Christ, I am overcome with despair, but just like Moses, when the opposite happens, He brings me His strength. Thank you Lord for your holy promises
http://www.in-due-time.com
Wow. God is so amazing. He is clearly speaking out to me today. I have, literally, been dealing with dizziness from a concussion for four years. This year, my junior year of highschool, I’ve been on Homebound since November. I have been trying hard to get caught up in loads of school that I’m behind on, and sometimes I just break down over all that I have to do. I know that God is using me, but I sometimes just wish that it would be over with. I understand why he put me theough this, to bring a sin to the light, but now it’s like, okay, I get it, can I get back to normal life now? But God is still continuing to teach me to trust. To just off that platform and fall into his arms and trust him in every single thing. In the midst of my dizzy wilderness, I need to focus on the one that will still me, that will make the rocking cease. Help me Lord set my sights on YOU, even when I feel like a ship in a thunderstorm. You will bring me safe to shore. Help me believe and live it.
Praying for you, Sarah. I missed much school as well due to headaches and dizziness. It can be so lonely and painful. Praying Jesus wraps His arms around you today! Keep holding tight to Him and remember that He will never waste your pain. He sees you, loves you and has not forgotten you. Xoxo
Sarah, thank you so much for sharing this with us today! He definitely used it to encourage me. Grateful for your place in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
The story of the manna is one of my very favorite in Scripture…. God’s supernatural provision PLUS our very natural command to gather! If you would like to read some thought on it, I would love to have you join me here: https://awordthatmatters.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/gather-the-manna/
I loved your post! Thank you for sharing!
Ok, that was a great post! Actually, I’ve loved all the ones I’ve read.
Thank you so much for sharing this today. It really spoke to me, and I jotted down a note or 2 in my journal. I’m really trying to seek out God today, and have some personal reflection time.
I have been thinking a lot about God’s provision of mana and quail to the Israelits recently– only enough for the day, but He provides each and every day. I am currently struggling with infertility. And with each failed month, God provides me the strength to get through it. But then I start to worry: what if I have to do this for another year before it works? What if it never works? And I think I don’t have the strength to get through it. And you know what? I don’t have the strength yet. Because God provides for each and every day exactly what you need for that day. I don’t have to worry about not having the strength for some possibility in the future, because God will provide when that day comes. Just like He has provided me with my mana this morning and will provide my quail for the evening. Day by day.
Sarah, I think this is something that we all have to struggle with and learn. While my story is different I still struggle with worry. I worry about tomorrow and next week and next month. I’m a planner by nature (and with that a little bit of a control freak!) so not having the answers to some life questions really stresses me out. One of the hardest things I had to learn was to give up control and just trust that God indeed does provide exactly what we need day by day, sometimes hour by hour.
I’m so glad that you seem to lean on our amazing Savior for your strength! I will be in prayer for you and your infertility journey! Keep leaning on Him and know that no matter the outcome, at the end you will look back and see Christ in every step of your journey! Blessings to you and your family. :)
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
Yes! Keep faith that the Lord’s timing will be perfect in your life, Sarah! He gives us exactly what we need every single day. The Cross is enough!
This was something I needed to read this morning, Sarah. You let the Holy Sprit speak through you and it really touched me. He is sovereign.
Sarah, I loved what you had to say today. I often find myself praying the Lord’s Prayer, that he would give me THIS day my daily bread! Just enough to make it through each day and each situation he places in front of me–no more and no less. It’s great to see the Old Testament and New Testament connection of these thoughts. ❤️
Sarah, I have been in your shoes. I, sadly, made having a child my idol. It destroyed me, my marriage, and my relationship with God. I am still married, but, they were many tears, as well as brokenness, plus therapy. Be glad that you ask God for strength and continue to do so. Have faith and trust in God that He knows what is best. Believe me, it is much easier for me to type it, because I failed at it. Blessings to you.
I can make venting a fine art form. The Scriptures and Kaitlin’s devotion convict me today that my venting is complaining, grumbling and simply not trusting that God is present, entirely aware and more than capable of providing whatever I need. Not whatever I want.. But that which He knows I need. Lord, forgive me for venting my frustrations and my impatience. Forgive me for being a spoiled brat – so terribly unattractive at my age! You have always provided. Let me learn to be content in the waiting. Today, may I count my blessings and acknowledge that they come directly from Your hand. Thank you for Your generosity. May I be generous today – in the right attitude, the right words – that all I do and say might reflect my trust in You. Amen.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Amen!
Praying right along side you Churchmouse. Amen
Thank you for sharing this, for being so honest. This can be one of the most difficult things for me to do – keeping positive when it all seems like a train wreck. I ask that God would also help me be generous today – in the right attitude, right words – that all I do and say might reflect my trust in You.
Thanks, churchmouse!
When I am venting my fiance will kindly point out when my harmless venting has turned into complaining and gossip! I am so blessed and so undeserving and it’s somehow SO easy to complain!