December 27, 2020
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Reading along with us in some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 17 (NIV)
Water From the Rock
1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lordcommanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”.......Continue Reading
More complaining and more provision from God. God’s grace and patience with us never ceases to amaze me!
I wish I could say that if I had seen all these wonders and miracles God had performed with my own eyes that I would never doubt or complain but I know all God has done in my life and still I have those weak moments.
Exodus 14-17
God was (is) so protective and generous to His people.
Exodus 17
I certainly hope we learn better than the Israelites. At every turn God has provided and yet they complain about not having water rather than asking God to provide. And yet in His grace, God does just that: provide. And in a miraculous fashion no less. Some may say you cannot get water from a stone, but God can. And to top that, God gives a miraculous victory over a fearsome enemy. And to be sure the Israelites know where the victory is coming from, success comes when Moses arms are raised and loss is suffered when his arms are down. And to make sure that others would learn of the care and power of God working for His people, God instructs Moses to write an account of what happened. How grateful we should be that we have God’s word to learn from. How else would we know who He is, what He has provided and what He expects from us.
The Lord gives Moses victory over the Amalekites.
Moses knows he must keep his mind…and arms in battle. He must maintain his focus on the Lord. Aaron and Hur assist him, facilitating his obedience and even holding him up in obedience.
I was thinking how often do I get distracted from the task at hand and lose focus on what God wants me to do. I see the purpose of the body in keeping us on the path God has for us.
3But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Exodus 17