{"id":840,"date":"2024-11-21T06:05:33","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T11:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/summer-zimmer\/?p=840"},"modified":"2024-11-21T06:08:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T11:08:13","slug":"in-the-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/summer-zimmer\/2024\/11\/21\/in-the-desert\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Desert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cWe have a choice to trust the Lord or grumble.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been convicted about this lately. 
We\u2019ve had a few messages in church, and I\u2019ve had a few conversations personally, where I have been challenged about my grumbling. When I am disappointed by something I was hopeful about, I allow complaining and frustration to become part of my train of thought. In Exodus 15, the Israelites have just been praising God for saving them from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. They\u2019re in the desert, and they come to what looks like cool, refreshing water. But when they try to drink it, they find it bitter. The Israelites\u2019 praises turn to grumbling and complaining\u2014directed at Moses. Instead of turning to the God who has just delivered them, they seek Moses for a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses turns to the Lord. He goes to the right place. God hears Moses\u2019 cry and He shows him how to remove the bitterness from the water. How can we better listen to Him for the guidance He wants to give us to resolve our discouraging situations and provide for our needs? How do we remember to look to Him instead of the people around us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After they move on from there, they reach an oasis where God provides for them abundantly, and I feel like that happens in my own life. If I could just hold on and wait on Him, instead of giving in to grumbling and wanting my <\/em>solution right now, He wants to provide what I\u2019m seeking far more abundantly than I could have anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses said, He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord. Exodus 16:8<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There will be difficulties and disappointments and loneliness. I need to learn to walk with Him and wait on Him and not get caught up in my comfort and expectations and what I have determined is right and wrong for my situation. In the same way that He provided the water and manna for the Israelites, He wants to take care of our daily needs as well, but we have to trust Him to provide, even on the day of rest. There is a time for waiting and ceasing to strive toward something.

Grumbling and complaining is so easy, but it\u2019s focused on self-centeredness\u2014 we think we deserve something we don\u2019t get or vice versa. We call into question God\u2019s goodness and character when we complain and lack trust. The Israelites decide that Egypt was better than the desert and they want to go back.

At the ladies\u2019 retreats I host, one of the things we talk about is our tendency to paint a better picture when we look back on a season of life. We forget all the hard things about it, just like the Israelites look back and fail to remember their slavery, but instead focus on the abundance of water and meat that they don\u2019t have in the desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We listen to a song by Sara Groves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt
Leaving out what it lacks
The future feels so hard
And I want to go back<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our Bible Study through 2nd<\/sup> Timothy, I\u2019ve been struck by how many times Paul uses words like I remind you<\/em>, Remember Jesus Christ<\/em>, Keep reminding God\u2019s people<\/em>, You know<\/em>, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of<\/em>. . . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key to looking back is not focusing on the circumstances, but on the One who provided in whatever the circumstances were.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m grateful that I can do that in my own life, but also for the opportunity to read about God\u2019s faithfulness, goodness, compassion, trustworthiness, and power in His Word in a language that I understand clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Speaking of God’s Word in a language we can understand  . . . we have two New Testament Dedications coming up\u2014this is a huge milestone for both the missionaries and the Kuman and North Wahgi people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, over the last few weeks, two North Wahgi believers stayed at our center in order to be taught how to teach through the Bible. They hope to reach North Wahgi people in new areas with the gospel.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What’s Next . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I just finished a Missionary Care Discussion Group<\/strong>, so I’m working toward contacting new participants for another one in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have prayers recorded from three different people groups that we work among that I’ll record an English voiceover for and put together with footage of the location and people being prayed for. <\/strong>See the first Prayer Video I’ve been able to finish below.<\/em> The idea is that I’ll create several of these for our 75th Anniversary year, 2025.<\/strong> This one for Kovol was already recorded in English, because there aren’t any believers there yet. The three that I hope to start on soon are prayers from believers from the churches that New Tribes Mission has planted among that people group. My desire is that many would come alongside us in praying for these people groups as they themselves would pray, in a culturally relevant way.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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