Thirst

I'm thinking today about this scripture:

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 quarrelled 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 this 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. (Exodus 17:1-6)

Moses, at the command of God, has led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness. They are in a place where they have never been before, led there by God. When the people complain that they are thirsty, Moses asks God for help. God equips Moses to give the people water. God doesn't tell Moses that the people are whining or that they shouldn't be thirsty. He gives them water.

Read this scripture:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Do you think that there might be a connection?

We are week by week looking at our church's vision and mission statements. We are called to bring others to Christ, embrace them with love, nurture everyone in faith.... I'm scheduled to preach a sermon in a couple of weaks about nurturing everyone in faith.

I think that might be what making disciples is all about. We don't stop with baptism. We teach the word. We show those whom we bring to Christ that God is present, even to the end of the age. Why do we do that?

We do that because God calls us to make people into disciples. Not to leave them thirsty.

Because when God calls them and we bring them to Christ, it makes them thirsty for more. We can't stop with the bring; we have to give them living water.

May everyone be thirsty.