Chapter Six: Wandering Ronnie Norman

1.Times of uncertainty can create crises of faith.

Exodus 13:17-18 (NRSV) 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.” 18 So God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

Exodus 13:17-18 (NRSV) The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle.

1.Times of uncertainty can create crises of faith. 2.Chronic complaining is a spiritual issue not to be taken lightly.

Numbers 11:4-6 (The Story, p. 72) 4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost— also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

Numbers 11:18-20 (The Story, p ) 18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days,

Numbers 11:18-20 (The Story, p ) 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

1.Times of uncertainty can create crises of faith. 2.Chronic complaining is a spiritual issue not to be taken lightly. 3.Fear is often false evidence appearing real.

Numbers 13:30-33 (The Story, p. 75) 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they

Numbers 13:30-33 (The Story, p. 75) had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

1.Times of uncertainty can create crises of faith. 2.Chronic complaining is a spiritual issue not to be taken lightly. 3.Fear is often false evidence appearing real. 4.The grace of God is a beautiful gift to behold.

Numbers 21:4-9 (The Story, p. 80) 4 But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

Numbers 21:4-9 (The Story, p. 80) 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Numbers 21:4-9 (The Story, p. 80) 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

John 3: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.