03/15/2023
Breath Prayer:
God, I trust that you are with me/God, I trust that you will provide for me.
Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7 (NIV)
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, “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. I 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. And 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?”
Devotion
At first glance, you might read this passage and identify with the Israelite community. They’re tired, thirsty, and so grumpy about their situation that they begin to reminisce about their life of bo***ge in Egypt. Seems extreme, but we’ve all been there to some extent.
But what about Moses? The people blame Moses for their thirst, so much so that they’re ready to kill him. Moses prays, and God’s instruction to Moses is more than a simple verbal reminder to trust in God. He gives specific instructions that demonstrate trust for both Moses and the people.
God tells Moses to first go out in front of the people who want to kill him, like running a gauntlet. Trust, God is with you. Then strike the rock at Horeb, and water will spring forth to quench their thirst. Trust, God will provide.
God’s provision isn’t always what we expect, and trusting is sometimes the hardest thing to do. But God is faithful and always with you.
Questions to Ponder
1. What do you have to let go of before you can trust God?
2. When you offer your prayers to God, how often do you sit in silence afterward and wait for the Spirit to respond?
