# Exodus Chapter 17 --- ## Summarrium After leaving the wilderness of Sin, the people of Israel complain to Moses because of the absence of water. They accuse Moses of failing to provide for them pointing out that their children and cattle will die and they would have been better of in Egypt. The Lord instructs Moses to strike a stone and from it will flow water he does so but remembers the quarrelling because they tested the lord. Later Amalek (the Amalekites) come out to fight Israel and Moses instructs Joshua to select Men to fight with Amalek. Moses stands at the top of the hill and Israel prevails as long as Moses' hands are held up but as he grows tired and lowers them the Israelites begin to loose. As such Aaron and Hur hold Moses up and the Israelites win with the Lord instructing them to remember this victory. ## Meditatio Here we see two distinct ways in which Israel receives the Lords care. Firstly directly through explicit provision. There is no physical water without which the people will soon perish. The people who have had Mana and Meat provided daily by the Lord for their needs fail to trust in the Lord for their provision. Rather than asking they fall to grumbling about their particular circumstances. How often can this be said of our own experience? We become frustrated by the actions or omissions of others or lack in our lives. Instead of seeking the Lords provision often we fall into the more familiar pattern of complaint. Here is an interesting thought; perhaps we lack because we, like the Israelites, do not ask. The second way in which the Lord provides is less overt. Being in 'the thick of it' is often a real challenge. It is exhausting to be fighting those directly in competition with us. The Amalekites are considered to be the descendants of Esau, with Israel the descendants of Jacob. In a tentative way then we might consider the Amalekites Israels direct competition. The Lord associates a posture of praise and exultation with success. This is the paradoxical right-way-up kingdom that rightly perceives submission as the source of victory. Yet it is still Joshua and the men required to fight here. The Lord does not omit them from the process. As such it is appropriate to consider ways in which we partner with the lord to secure our provision and success. Success here loosely define not in terms of achieving one's goals but in the Aristotelian sense of flourishing. Success may look as different as winning a prize, or not punching someone who has annoyed us. In any event nevertheless in both cases the posture of submission remains key. ## Apologia Some context to my absence which has been longer than usual is probably necessary (as apparently it matters to me). Much has happened... Firstly I undertook training to become a [best interest assessor](https://mental-capacity.co.uk/role-of-bia/) a pseudo legal role here in the UK necessary to ensure deprivations of liberty within a care home or hospital setting remain lawful. I also started a PhD in Social Work. As is customary opportunities didn't present themselves in an orderly sequential fashion but simultaneously. As such time has taken me away from the reflective pursuit of understanding. However as the dust settles I hope to find a new pattern within which I can persist across multiple occasions of experience.