Exodus 17: 1-7
The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”
But 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?”
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
The Lord answered Moses, “Walk on ahead 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. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strick 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. And he called the place Massah and Mariah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
A Thought
The Hebrews had been held in bondage by the Egyptians where they complained to the Egyptians and also to their God. God answered their cry by sending Moses to deliver them. Having been delivered from the slavery of the Egyptians, they are on their hard journey as God leads them from place to place. Now they are camped at Rephidim, complaining and grumbling to Moses because they have no water to drink for their children, themselves or their livestock. Ready to stone Moses, they ask if the Lord is with them or not.
God has a desire to provide living water through his Son, where we will never thirst again. God permits us to travel a lot of hard, dry roads when we are grumbling and complaining, until we humble ourselves with faith in repentance to follow him.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for you gift of living water to all who will ask and receive your love and grace by faith. Help us to trust and follow you while encouraging others to receive you. We ask in the name of our Rock, Jesus the Christ, amen.
