Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. Exodus 15:22 (NLT)
The Israelites had just crossed the Red Sea unscathed. Not a single life was lost. The Egyptians? Annihilated. Talk about a wow! moment. It doesn’t get any more jaw-dropping than that. They were ecstatic, confident, and seemingly invincible. They were on a roll. Then it all came crashing down. A vast desert ahead. No water in sight. For three days, they trudged across the hot, arid desert, shaking sand from their sandals as they wrestled with tormenting thirst. Not exactly the vision of a victor. Who wants to trudge when you have just scored a major win?
It didn’t take long for those winners to start whining; the reprieve they thought they’d found at the oasis of Marah proved to be bitter. Just like their hearts. They wanted to continue on that high note they’d experienced at the Red Sea. Why not? Why couldn’t God simply lead them to the Promised Land without any hiccups along the way? Why did God have to test them?
Sometimes, I find myself copping the same attitude when life takes me through the wilderness of Shur; sure, God promised never to leave me nor forsake me; sure, God’s plans are for good and not for evil; sure, God loves me. Yet what I know and what I feel don’t always match. In the face of new trials, those miracles of yesterday quickly recede into memories. The Red Sea is relegated to a story instead of a first-hand experience of God’s faithfulness. Thankfully, God is merciful and loving. Even when my faith wavers, His faithfulness stands firm.
We’ve all traveled through the desert of Shur at some point in our lives: a heart-breaking diagnosis, problems that multiply faster than rabbits in the spring, months that contain more days than dollars in the bank, disappointments that overwhelm us. But God’s tests are never without purpose. If God leads us through the desert of Shur, it’s because He wants to strengthen our ‘sures’ into heartfelt, unwavering conviction that He is working all things according to His purpose.