God led them by the pillars
of cloud and fire by day or night.
He led them to the desert
with no water there in sight.
And oh, the people grumbled;
they quarreled and complained—
insulting God’s own nature,
and His servant, and His name.
This place was then called Massah
and Meribah to their shame
to underscore their testing,
their quarreling and blame.
And so how will I react
in this, my Rephidim…?
That I might not test the LORD
when hope is lost, or so it seems…?
How will I continue
to look for only good…?
As no way out
provokes such doubt,
how can I behave the way I should…?
How can I carry myself
when my soul cries out in pain…?
How can I repress the fears
that brood from questions which remain…?
I’ll look to Christ,
my sovereign LORD,
who died on Calvary.
I’ll seek
His Word
and find
it heard
this proves His deity.
Then I’ll see
that He
has led me
to a higher Rock…
one that God crushed
til water rushed
so that He will not be mocked.
From its fountain
He will quench all thirst
that sores my throat,
and I’ll count it all joy
as I pen each grace upon grace by rote.
So let me marvel in my Rephidim!
And not stammer from lack of trust.
Let me glorify His holy Way
that brings beauty from ash and dust!
-M. Leanne Todd
References from the Holy Bible:
Exodus 13:21-22
Exodus 17:1-7
Deuteronomy 6:16-25
Luke 4:12
Luke 23:33-38
Matthew 7:7-8
Matthew 13:16-17
Psalm 61:2
Isaiah 53:10
John 4:4-14
Galatians 6:7
Isaiah 55:1
Matthew 5:6
James 1:2-4
John 1:16
John 14:6
Acts 24:14
Jeremiah 61:1-3