Waters of Meribah

"So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord saying "is the Lord among us or not?"

There are  "waters of Meribah"  that flow into our lives and they look like this. Circumstances come into your life and seem to stay for a while. They are not cool. They are inconvenient, painful, and lonely. You are there by yourself in them. They test what is in the heart.  What comes out of one determines the near future and sometimes the far future. You start to say things about others, and yourselves and God when you are going through these waters. You want out now.  You don't have control. It is a test of the heart I am telling you right now.

Passing the test looks like this: surrender all I want to the Lord, praise Him and worship for who He is. King, Creator, Lord, Father, Savior. No matter what comes, I give Him all. I surrender my wants and my needs to be met. I let go of everything that has to do with me for a minute and give it to Him.

Not passing looks like this: anger, bitterness, railing against God, contending with those who stand for the truth or who have authority over your life in some way. Its refusal to give God His due worship, and honor. Its wanting my way now. (been there myself)

We can go  back and forth between these but the final heart condition in a place of trial and hardship will be who you really choose to be. It is a test of the heart.

Then in Psalm 81, it says " I proved you at the waters of Meribah..." The burden was removed, deliverance was given to those in trouble, in the place of thunder, their cries were heard and answered ... All this given to a people who were bitter, angry at Moses, and angry at God...He came through with His goodness. It was a test again. To pour out His loving nature on people undeserving, so typical of Him, to test them...their response is never mentioned. Apparently God wanted us to know, that in spite of our heart condition His goodness will continue to cover our life, always testing and inviting us into Throne room for relationship with Him.

But how much better the relationship with Him when I have not come up short in the trial, when my heart is comforted in the trial and His love experienced even before it passes, when I am surrendered to the process, and help is felt even while it is lasting so long. He loves us so much. Take courage you will not always be in the "waters of Meribah"...there is a place where your thirst will be quenched and relief is finally here. Look up, your redemption draws nigh.