Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 14
February 2012
Hi all,
Logistics
is not exactly my favourite topic. However, over the past fifty years or so, it
has become a necessary part of life. Perhaps the best illustration of this is
petrol for the car (gas for the automobile for the Yank’s). Those who have only
an “itsy-bitsy” knowledge would be careful to fill up before the car ran out of
juice. No one I know is keen on spending half the night somewhere between
Laingsburg and Beaufort West because the “tank ran dry”. For much the same sort
of reason, the housewife generally ensures there is sufficient to eat every
day. Hungry children are inclined to be a bit grumpy! Oddly enough, husbands
don’t like it either.
Several
years ago, I went on a course on what was called, “Supply Side Management”. I
found it was just another word for planning ahead. Mind you, I need to be
careful. There are professors of this stuff out there, who would have my guts
for garters if they thought I was demeaning their expertise.
This
forward planning stuff helps you get prepared for each and every eventuality,
most of which alternatives are never likely to occur anyway. One much loved
model was called, “Just in time” (JIT). The theory was that as the last one was
taken away, the next one arrived in the warehouse. I licked this theory. It’s
wonderfully God-fearing. Only God can arrange anything that works like that
100% of the time.
By
coincidence, I went to the course at about the same time as I was reading the
book of Exodus. Almost everything in that book occurred JIT. At the time, I had
the idea that Jesus was the best JIT specialist this world has ever known. He
is never early or late. With timing accurate to the nearest tenth of a
millisecond, things were there as needed. Now that’s JIT at its best; although
the acronym now stands for “Jesus is Terrific”.
Now
we’ve all heard the story of the manna in the Wilderness. It was there every
morning on cue. There was never too much or too little. On Friday’s there was
enough to collect for two days. There was none on the Sabbath. What is not
mentioned is water supply. Obviously, it wasn’t a problem through most of the
journey. Why or why not? I asked myself. Then the penny dropped. It was not
mentioned because it wasn’t a problem. (after Marah) So who was their water
supporter?
Today’s
meditation looks at this and puts forward a theory. If you have a better
answer, please tell us about it.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
The Water Supporter
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They wandered through the
desert, for nearly forty years.
There were two million people,
is what it now appears.
Six hundred thousand menfolk,
their children and their wives
Made up the total number.
That’s what my maths derives.
And then there were the
animals; the many flocks and herds.
The cost of feeding all of them
can’t be expressed in words!
The people lived on manna; it
was their daily food.
They ate it boiled, or baked,
or fried, or on occasions, stewed!
The problem would be water. The
people had to drink.
To keep the people healthy and
living in the pink,
Would be a major factor. So how
much was required,
To keep the people going before
they all expired?
It’s difficult to estimate; the
land was hot and dry.
They had their “air
conditioning” from God up in the sky.
The fiery pillar warmed them,
right through the long cold nights;
The cloud that covered them by
day kept their conditions right.
But they all needed water,
three litres each per day.
About six mega litres
approximately – say.
Now that’s a lot of water.
Enough to fill a boat,
The size of the Titanic or keep
the thing afloat.
I’ve wondered where it came
from. There wasn’t much around.
It couldn’t be a trickle that
came up from the ground.
For God it was no problem. He
speaks and instantly,
There’d be enough to quench
their thirst regardless where they’d be.
But did the Lord bring rain
clouds? I don’t think it was so.
The Bible then would tell us,
so everyone could know.
They’d need a daily miracle.
The manna came that way.
But water doesn’t come in
blocks; not even in that day!
And what about the buckets that
they would have to fill?
That’s also not an option to
satisfy this bill.
The only way to do it, as far
as I can tell,
Was that they didn’t draw it,
from any desert well.
Perhaps just like the jar of
oil that didn’t once run dry,
The Lord filled their containers
with a similar supply?
I know I am not certain. It’s
only just a guess.
But how could the Creator fix
their little mess?
If you know something better,
please won’t you tell us all?
The problem has been stated. My
friends, it’s now your call.
Jim Strickland – Written 14th February 2012
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