April 22, 2024

Exodus 15:22-27 (HCSB)
Water Provided
22 Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. 23 They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah. 24 The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?” 25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable. He made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah and He tested them there. 26 He said, “If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am Yahweh who heals you.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms, and they camped there by the waters.

Nathan Putty
Coming off the heels of a victory against the Egyptians and after singing songs of praise to the Lord, it only took the Israelites three days in the wilderness to start bellyaching -both literally and verbally. God opened the waters for them to cross the Red Sea. Was that not enough for them to be faithful? To trust in His provision? After all the Lord has done for us, do we? In the wake of the people’s grumbling, and the cries of Moses, God provides a beautiful example of His parenting skills, testing the Israelites, telling them He will take care of them (as He always does) but that they need to shape up from here on out. God shows them mercy, but seasons it with a heaping helping of tough love.  Aren’t you glad He doesn’t write us off when we disappoint Him?