Remember the Miracles

September 29, 2002

The Rev. Dr. Anthony J. Godlefski, Pastor

Montgomery United Methodist Church

Exodus 17: 1-7

Philippians 2: 1-13

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, good morning!

I’d like to explore this idea with you: what should you do if you find yourself between a rock and a hard place? If your life feels like you need to get water from a rock, what should you do?

Well, the Bible has some interesting things to share with us this morning about that very thing. So if you’re feeling like you’re in a tough place, let’s listen to what the Bible has to say. I’m going to be preaching from the Exodus text, chapter 17, the first seven verses.

What is happening in this Bible story? Moses is out in the desert with the people of Israel. They’ve been traveling a long time, and they’ve been through a lot. They’ve passed through the Red Sea. Remember the story where Moses took that staff, that big stick of his, and hit the water? The seas parted and made walls of water on either side. And the people passed through on dry land. And when the Egyptians went to chase them, the seas covered over. That’s where the people have been.

Where have the people been? The people are hungry. And the Lord said, “I will feed my people,” and He sent manna from heaven. It’s a bread-like substance, a wafer with honey. It covered the ground. There was always enough, and the people were fed.

But they were in a tough place again, because they were thirsty. Did you notice what happened in the story after they got thirsty? It said the people began to grumble. They began to grumble again to Moses. They began to say things like, “Moses, what are you doing? Did you bring us out into the desert to die with our children and livestock and everything? Is that why you brought us here, Moses?”

And Moses just sighed. He did the right thing – he went to the Lord in prayer. He said, “Lord, what am I going to do? These people are about to stone me!” You know, in one of the commentaries I was reading about this passage, it said that stoning was a common expression of mob disappointment in those days. Can you imagine what a scholarly insight that is! But Moses said to the Lord, “They’re about to stone me!”

And the Lord said to Moses, “Moses, take that staff with which you parted the waters, and go to Mount Horeb, and I will be with you. I will stand in footsteps next to you. Strike the rock, and water will come forth. Now, go!”

And Moses did it. He took the staff and struck the rock, and water came pouring forth, and the people were satisfied.

What can we learn from this story? If you are feeling like you’re between a rock and a hard place, Moses was smack between the dryness of the desert – the rock – and the people’s grumbling, which was the hard place.

Are there people grumbling in your life? Co-workers? Closer? Maybe you? Grumbling is a fun word to say over and over. It’s a scary sound. It sounds like Annual Conference. People were grumbling. The people of Israel were singing the grumble song. And the Bible actually tells us the words to the song. They’re right here at verse 7: “Is the Lord with us or not?”

[Pastor Tony singing] Is the Lord with us or not? Is the Lord with us or not?

That’s the grumble song, and they were singing it at Moses.

What should you do if you’re facing grumbling, or maybe if you’re grumbling at the Lord for something? The Bible tells us! Do what Moses did. The first step is to have a little faith, and be faithful. I have great news for you. God does not call us to produce end results. What a concept! God does not call us to produce end results. God calls us to be faithful. Is that a concept for corporate America, with bottom-line reports and such!

Does that lift a burden off your hearts, friends? I hope it does. God does not call us to do it all. God calls us to be faithful to our heart, and let God worry about the end result. That’s the first point – just be faithful. That’s what God calls you to do; just be faithful. Just do your part. Do it well. Do it with all your might. Hit that rock with all your might. That’s all God asks you to do.

Did Moses produce the water from the rock? No, God produced the water from the rock! But Moses was faithful. He hit the rock, just as God told him to do. What is God asking you to do? Is there a nudging on your heart? Is there a pulling where God is gently whispering to you to call this one or to help that one? To do this project or to help with that? That’s all you’re asked to do, just be faithful. Say yes to what God is asking of you, and let God take care of the big picture. There’s a wonderful comfort in that.

So what should you do if you’re between a rock and a hard place? Just be faithful! You can’t change other people. You cannot ultimately produce the end result. But you can be faithful in a big way, and that’s what God asks us to do. That’s the first thing. Just be faithful, like Moses was.

What else should you do? Remember the miracles of the past! God said to Moses, “Take the staff with which you parted the waters and go and hit the rock.” Why did He do that? Why did it have to be the staff with which he parted the waters? Was that the ‘lucky staff’? Was that the ‘magic staff’? No! It was the staff of confidence! Moses looked at that staff, and it served as a reminder: With this staff the waters were parted. With this staff God did a good thing in the past, and God can do it again. That’s why God said use it, because He wanted Moses to have a reminder that good things have happened in the past, and good things can happen again. God has not run out of miracles.

My mom used to love to say, “Anthony, God has so much more than He’s already given away.” As so, my dear friends, if you’re facing a rock and a hard place, I invite you to just do your part. Just be faithful. Just take one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, and move forward with faith. And remember the miracles of the past.

You know, I’m convinced it’s not so much that miracles don’t happen, but that we forget them! I prayed to God for something one day. It looked impossible. It was a dismal situation. And I said, “You know, Lord, I really haven’t prayed about this. But I’m going to pray about it now. I put it in your hands, Lord. I surrender it to you. Please bless it.”

You know what? In about a week, it untangled. It was a miracle! But here’s the danger: I must not forget! I must not forget my staff of confidence. That is my staff of confidence. God has done it before; God can do it again. I invite you to take that with you into the week.

A wonderful Christian came to me a couple of years ago for counseling and had very difficult problems and was so sad. I was trying to help this person fix it. And after a while, she said, “Pastor, don’t help me fix it.”

I said, “What do you want me to do?”

She said, “Just remind me that I’ve been here before, and I can come through this again.” She was helping me to know what I’m supposed to do. So that’s what I did, just reminded her that God’s been there in the past. I’m reminding you, too. Go into the week knowing that all you need to do is be faithful, and don’t forget the miracles of the past.

In closing, will you do this? Close your eyes for a second, and think of the hard thing you need to face or the troubling situation before you. That’s the rock. And now think of the miracle, a wonderful thing that God has done for you in the past, either through another person, or a healing, or a resolution. Think of that wonderful thing that you never thought could be but here it is. That’s the rod of confidence. Hold onto that rod of confidence, and strike the rock with the knowledge that God can do it again. And be at peace. Now, open your eyes.

Let’s sing together: [Pastor Tony singing]

I remember what you’ve done.
Lord, you set me free.
I remember what you’ve done.
Been so good to me.
Lord, you’ve been so good to me.
I remember what you’ve done.
Lord, you set me free. I remember what you’ve done.
Been so good to me.
Lord, you’ve been so good to me.

You and the Lord together are an unbeatable combination. God loves you. I do, too. Have a wonderful week. God bless you. Amen.