Look Under the Rock

The LORD said to Moses, "I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
- Exodus 17:6

The Israelites had escaped from Egypt, and had begun their 40-year journey through the desert. As soon as they ran out of water they began to complain. But God provided for them by producing water from a rock that had been struck by Moses' staff. Did the water just miraculously spring from the rock? Or did Moses uncover an existing underground water source by breaking the rock? The answer doesn't matter. The point here is that when His people had a need, God provided for them.

I tend to believe that it was an existing but hidden underground water source that God led Moses to. Why? God knew that the Israelites were thirsty and had run out of water. But He took no action until Moses asked for His help. This makes me wonder if they could have found the water on their own, if only they had bothered to look. If, instead of moaning and complaining to Moses as soon as things got a little tough, if they had used some common sense and ingenuity, they might have discovered the underground spring.

Maybe God works like this in our lives too. He knows what we need. But sometimes He waits for us to ask. And sometimes He doesn't immediately answer, because He knows that if we just try a little harder, we can solve the problem ourselves.

So the next time you feel that God isn't answering your prayer, stop and take a look around. Think it through again. Is there an answer to your problem that you haven't considered? Try and look at things from a different angle. Dig a little, and maybe a solution will uncover itself. And have faith that God will eventually give you what need, one way or another.