For the past five years I have been making a journey to spend the August Bank Holiday weekend at a Christian event called “David’s Tent”. I affectionately refer to it as ‘Camping with Jesus’ as it is a 72 hour worship event in a big blue tent in a field. No service or sermon but 2pm Friday until 10am Monday non-stop worship offered by people desperate for more of the presence of God. David’s Tent is an amazing place to meet with God, spend extended time in His presence, and step outside of my circumstances to focus on the One who loves me and calls me by name. There is something about being away from the normal, amongst a great crowd, leaning in to hear what the Father might be saying to me that is always incredibly special. He has been there during the quietest calm of an acapella “Faithful One” at 2am and during an afternoon explosion of orchestral and modern instruments accompanying the top of my lungs singing of ‘How Great Thou Art’. He is there in beautiful cello melodies amidst artists painting, weaving and making. He is there in the DJ set (Sing Hosanna as you’ve never heard it before!) and the gospel choir. Seeking the presence of God and being amongst his people in worship is a privilege and a joy. In fact, the Westminster Catechism says our chief end is to worship God and enjoy him forever.
This is as true today as it was for the Egyptians all those thousands of years ago in Egypt. They had plenty to celebrate and enjoy – God had delivered them from slavery, they’d crossed the Red Sea, been provided with manna and quail and were living freely. They could worship ‘I AM’ at all times. However, they were not happy. Things were not as they wanted or planned and they felt abandoned and rejected. So they responded with human grumbling, complaining and testing God – asking Moses if God was really with them or not.
I have to say I know something of what they were feeling. The past five years have been a hard time for me personally as I’ve navigated a journey I didn’t choose to make and found myself questioning God, faith and church. It has felt like a wilderness time, uprooted from the known and wandering amongst unfamiliar lands and people. I have grumbled and complained. I have wept and shouted. I have prayed and been prayed for by many wonderful people. I have wondered where and why and what and how and asked all manner of difficult questions. It has felt dry and unfair. But each year I came back to the big blue tent because I believed that if I kept going and showing up then God would meet with me. I’m pleased to say He always has.
This Exodus story is one that speaks of God’s great provision and care in a difficult place and in difficult circumstances. It is about the very human nature of anger and complaining when things are not as we want. God allows our questions and wants us to engage with him in all the difficult times and ask the difficult questions. He wants to meet with us in our dry and difficult places and offer us the one thing the world cannot. Jesus. The living water. Come just as you are this Sunday to worship and meet with the One who loves you.
Alix Ward
Ministry Team