The Good We Can Do

Living in the Spirit
September 25, 2017

Scripture Reading: Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ –Exodus 17:1-3

Think of a time when you felt you were at the end of your rope. You have tried every possible solution to a vexing problem or issue and there just seems no way out. The Israelites seem to be at that point in our scripture today. We have no idea of any actions they had taken to find water. We enter the story where they demand that Moses save them from dying of dehydration, a very real fear in an arid land. Because the scripture does not describe whether the Israelites searched for water or not, the story leaves us with the impression the Israelites were dependent on Moses to solve their problem and also to approach God for help. The later seems strange to people of faith who from childhood are taught to pray directly to God.

While I believe we need to be in constant communion with God, I also believe we, as part of the Body of Christ, are to engage with God to fulfill God’s purpose in the world today. John Wesley stated it this way: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. When I hear this quote, I think of the little boy bringing his five loaves and two fishes to Jesus as a source of nourishing 5,000 people. *

Our all too human need to fix blame and vent anger is not helpful in problem-solving. Taking an inventory of available resources and skills is a good place to start like bringing forth five loaves and two fishes.

Prayer: Lord, help us focus on the good we can do in all situations as we approach troublesome issues in our world. Amen.

*See John 6:1-14

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved