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 quarreled 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. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

The Israelites dared to quarrel with God. They were so irate that Moses felt in danger of being stoned. The thrill of being liberated from slavery was over. They were in the desert with no water. In the best of conditions a human can go only three days with no water - maybe less in the blazing sun of the desert. The Israelites wondered, "Is the Lord among us or not?" The answer was "yes." During their time in the desert, the Israelites were not always faithful, but God was. God stuck with these complaining and rebellious people. They were given food and water, delivered from marauders and eventually led out of the desert to the promised land.

Today we have deserts of our own. There are times when we are sick, in debt, or grief stricken over the loss of a loved one. We want to ask, "Is the Lord with me or not?" It is okay to be angry at God. God can take it. An angry prayer is always better than no prayer at all. An honest prayer is always better than a fake prayer. The Israelites survived because they questioned God, but they didn't try to get through the desert without God. It is the same for us. I wish I could always pray using the words of my favorite hymn,

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
"When sorrows like sea billows roll;
"Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
"It is well, it is well, with my soul."

As much as I would like to, I can't always pray, "Lord, it is well with my soul." Sometimes my soul doesn't feel well at all and God knows this.