Week of August 24, 2008

Exodus 17:1-7

On their journey through the wilderness, the Israelites lack water.  Parched tongues waggle, complain, quarrel, find fault, contend against Moses.  "What am I to do?"  cries Moses.  "Surely they'll stone me."  Once again God miraculously provides for his testing, trying, challenging people.  From a rock, life-giving water pours forth as a sign of his glory to his unbelieving, resistant people.

The Lord Jesus, as one hymn says, is a "Rock in a weary land."  This is a marvelous picture of Him as the foundation -- the One upon whom we rest and the One upon whom the church is built.  From the Rock, Christ Jesus, come spiritual blessings today.  The waters of blessing can still gush forth to relieve parched lives.

Yet I am disturbed and distressed as I look about today.  The world is thirsty.  I ask you personally and particularly, have you been to that smitten Rock for a drink of living water?  God says if you drink of that water you will never thirst again.