God's Dual Intent

God had a dual intent and purpose for the children of Israel. On the one hand, He wanted them to learn to trust Him, depend fully upon Him, but He also wanted to bless them. To provide for them. So He took them through the desert, through hardships and trials to teach them.

And God will do the same for us. Whatever it takes—whatever it costs, for us to learn to trust Him, for as Psalm 46:1-3 assures us, He is our refuge and our strength, our very present help in time of trouble. Even when the earth changes beneath our feet or the mountains disappear into the seas, the seas roar and the mountains quake. Still, God’s intent is to be our refuge.