Thirst Sermon 1 – Exodus 16
So, I am thinking of a movie. It’s an oldie but a goodie. One of my favorites in fact. It is based upon a novel written by Stephen King, and stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman! It tells the story of a man condemned to two consecutive life sentences for murder. And how he eventually escapes the state penitentiary and finds redemption. The movie? The Shawshank Redemption (pic 1).
Morgan Freeman plays Red. Near the end of the film, Red is paroled (pic 2). And it’s a struggle. He has finally been freed. But after 4 decades of someone else making all the decisions for him, it’s difficult for him to deal with the responsibility of making his own choices. And he wonders if he is going to make it. All he can think about are ways to break his parole so that he can be sent back to prison. It’s a terrible thing to live in fear, he says. All I want is to be back where things make sense.
The truth is, sometimes the security we had looks better than the insecurity in front of us. Even if the security we had was horrific. Sometimes following God to the freedom God has planned for us appears worse than staying in the suffering where we are. I want to talk about that this morning.
So, take your Bibles and turn with me to the Old Testament book of Exodus. Genesis. Exodus. Chapter 16. We will read verse 1 – 6. We are starting a new series today that I’m calling THIRST. Not just because we are going to spend the next three months journeying with the Israelites through the desert. And deserts are thirsty places. But because sooner or later, each of us winds up in the desert. Sooner or later we all know thirst.
To get us started turn to your neighbor and share what makes you thirsty. Maybe it’s exercise. Maybe it’s working in the yard. Maybe it’s traveling on a plane. What makes you really thirsty? And then your go to thirst buster. What do you reach for when you are parched? DISCUSS
So, you know when you get really thirsty? How your mouth gets all pasty? And your lips get cracked and dry. And your tongue just seems to fill up mouth. And as much as you want, you can’t stop thinking about it (start filling up the glass). But then, when you finally get a glass of clear cold water. And you just drink it down. And it rushes over your tongue and down your throat. And it just tastes so good! And it’s so soothing. And you instantly start to feel better. Some of you are thinking about how thirsty you are right now.
Over the next 11 weeks we are going to take a closer look at those things that make us thirst. Not so much physically, but spiritually. What is it that our soul longs for? And what is it that quenches that thirst? What do we do when we find ourselves spiritually in the desert? Where do we find that spiritual equivalent of a cold clear glass of water? Today, we begin with our thirst for security. With that in mind, let’s read together. Exodus 16:1-6. It goes like this.
The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. 2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”
So, the whole community grumbles against Moses and Aaron. Which is A LOT of grumbling. In Exodus 12:37 it says – “The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.” If every man was married and had two children – some less and some more – but on average every man was married and had two children. That would put the number of Israelites traveling in the desert between 2 and 3 million. Imagine 2 to 3 million people whining from the back seat. Are we there yet? And Moses going – Don’t make me pull this camel over!
And then there are the logistical challenges. Water for one. It’s been estimated somewhere around 11,000,000 gallons a day to supply basic needs. And wood. Got to have wood to cook. 4,000 tons of it each day. And how about the bathroom situation? For years I ran marathons and relay races and I speak from experience when I say that there is nothing worse than not having enough port-a-potties available. Unless, of course, it’s sharing a port-a-potty with several hundred thousand people. How many port-a-potties do you think they needed for 3 million people? And where would you locate them? The camp would have been at least five miles wide.
Where am I going with this? Well, I think we need to read between the lines. To not settle for a cursory reading of numbers and locations. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely believe that if God wants, God can provide for 3 million Israelites in the desert. But it seems to me that there is something deeper going on here. In fact, in the very next chapter, chapter 17 verse 3, the Israelites are complaining that their livestock are going to die. So, the whole time they are grumbling about starving to death, they have their cows and goats and chickens and lambs. Which makes me think of how, every so often, my children will come to me and tell me they are starving to death. To which I say – eat a bowl of cereal. I don’t want cereal they say. Well then, make some noodles. I don’t want noodles. Okay have an apple or make some toast or make some eggs. I don’t want those. Well, then you really aren’t starving death are you? My children love it when I say that.
So, what is this story about? Well, for one, it’s about God who hears and provides. Four different times in chapter 16 it says that God hears the grumbling of God’s people. And four different times it says that in response to hearing God provides for their needs. In fact, it was because God hears the Israelite’s cry that God liberates them in the first place. As opposed to Pharaoh who neither listened nor provided.
In this particular case, God hears their cry and provides manna (pic 3). Manna in Hebrew means what is it? The Israelites come out of their tents early the next morning and there is this white flaky substance on the ground, and they turn to their neighbor and go – what is it? To which their neighbor says – I don’t know. What is it? And the name sticks. And from then on, every morning except on the Sabbath, the manna appears. I imagine, after 40 years that has to become a little monotonous. Manna, Manna, Manna. Every day the same thing. Manna waffles for breakfast! Manna burgers for lunch! And Manicotti for dinner. Evidently, variety isn’t a priority when you are in the desert.
Ultimately, I think this is a story about the Israelites thirst for security. We see this in their grumbling. Verse 3 – The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” In The Shawshank Redemption, Red’s perception of the past in prison is colored by his future insecurity out in the world. The same is true of the Israelites. Suddenly, Egypt with its bondage and death looks like a Sandal’s resort. They say – if only we had died in by the Lord’s hand. Only God doesn’t kill. God saves. God provides. They have it all wrong.
And we get that don’t we? Sometimes we do the very same thing. Ever catch yourself wishing for the good old days? When everyone prayed and went to church? When folks knew right from wrong and we all sang from the hymnal? Sometimes the security we had looks better than the insecurity in front of us. Even though the good old days weren’t always that good.
And I see this theme of security in God’s instructions about the manna. Verse 4 – Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. When I hear of tests in the Bible I think of tests of obedience. Like when God tested Abraham to see if he will sacrifice his son Isaac. And clearly there is some of that here. The Israelites are to only gather what they need for the day (pic 4). Will they obey? Ultimately though, I see the manna as a test of faith. They are in the wilderness. Given strange food to eat that neither they nor their ancestors had ever seen before. Receiving it one day at a time. Will they past the test? Will they follow God even if they have only a one day’s supply of food?
At the very least, our text begs us to do some soul searching. Will we follow God in the wildernesses of our lives? When the terrain is unfamiliar, and the future is unassured? Will we insist on predictability or are we willing to take it one day at a time? How important is security to us? And what do we do when our souls are parched with a thirst for it?
Psalm 61 was written by David during the rebellion of his son Absalom. Absalom rallied the people of Israel around him and initiated a coup against his father. Forcing David and his court to flee for their lives. Away from the palace in Jerusalem and into the surrounding hills. David is hungry and tired and fighting to survive. His soul thirsts for security. And yet listen to David’s prayer. “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2).”
David has run out of resources. He is at the end of his tether. He cannot save himself. All he can do is pray. “For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings (Psalm 61:3-4).” Notice David doesn’t pray for physical security. He doesn’t pray for God to put him back in the palace. He doesn’t ask for restoration of his former life of royal luxury. Rather he prays for closeness to God. Even in the midst of great loss and danger, David believes that security only comes through intimacy with God.
It’s God who hears our cry for help. Not political kings. It’s God who provides what we need. Not material things. It’s God who satisfies the thirst of our soul for security. As he rains down bread from heaven. Day after day after day. I ask you this morning – are you thirsting for security? Where are you looking for it? What spiritual practices are you pursuing each day so that you may find closeness to God?
In The Shawshank Redemption, Red ultimately violates parole and travels to Mexico where he his reunited with Andy. He finds freedom in his willingness to trade the security of the prison walls for insecurity in a new land. And he is able to do so, because of his relationship with Andy. In the same way, we will find freedom when we are willing to let go of security outside of God’s will for insecurity inside the will of God. Which comes from deepening our relationship with Him.
SO I am going to seek closeness with God. I am going to drink deeply from God’s presence through prayer, meditation, scripture, worship and service.
How about you? How about you?
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