Deserts Are Dry

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?"

So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

I have a beef with Moses. Or, rather, with the example that Moses lays out in this passage. Truth be told, he’s doing pretty much exactly what he was supposed to be doing. And I can’t fault him for that. If God told me to hit a rock with a stick, I’d hit the heck out of that rock. But this is a passage that is familiar to a lot of pastors and faith leaders.

The people were thirsty. That’s probably because they were in the desert, which is not a great place for drinking a lot of water. It makes sense that people who are thirsty might complain. I’m not going to be mad at the people for complaining, per se, but I do have to question the effectiveness of their pesterings. They quarreled with Moses. They quarreled. With. Moses. Because there was not water in the desert. How dare he make deserts dry?! These people were beefing with Moses, but they really were just complaining about the circumstances they found themselves in.

This brings me to the passage that I hear inadvertently quoted often from colleagues of mine. “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

That’s the big one.

Pastors are faced with expectations similar to Moses faced in the desert. Why aren’t more people coming? What happened to all the kids? Who changed my favorite doorknob? Why isn’t there water in the desert?

There is a big shift in how church works in the world these days. Populations age. Numbers decline. Buildings lay unused. The reality is that the world no longer works the way that it used to. When the Israelites were in Egypt, they had access to all the water they wanted. It wasn’t under the best of circumstances, but they had access to it. But then they started acting like the desert should have been the same as what it was like in Egypt.

It is natural to be upset about things changing. What is not natural is blaming some guy for there not being water in the desert. This is the way it can feel to be a pastor for some people. Of course, I’m not speaking at all about any of you wonderful folks. But I definitely know friends and colleagues who were tormented because they couldn’t magically make the church what it once was. Despite the fact that it isn’t possible. Despite the fact that it isn’t their exclusive role. Despite the fact that the world is not what it once was.

And here is my problem with Moses. He made water come out of a rock. Talk about a bad precedent. Because I can’t make water come from stones. I can’t make the impossible possible. But because Moses did it once, all of a sudden we all feel like we need to do it too.

I’m not going to make water from a stone, but I appreciate that you fine people understand that fact. It makes it easier to find the water that is available to us when we’re not fretting about the water that is stuck in the stone.

Peace,

Rev. Jeff Fox-Kline

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If this reflection stirred something in you, or left you with questions you’d like to explore further, we’d love to hear from you. Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church is located in Rochester, NY and we’re a community that believes faith is something we live into together, with curiosity, honesty, and grace. You’re always welcome to reach out by phone at 585-244-8585, or to send us a message through the secure contact form on our website. Whether you’re looking for a church home, a conversation partner, or simply a place to wonder out loud, we’re glad to connect with you. There’s a place for you here. All are welcome.