Daily Devotions
Exodus
"The beast of the field will honour Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen." Isaiah 43:20
Text: Exodus 15 : 25-27
CRYING OUT TO THE LORD
Moses learned lesson after valuable lesson on prayer! Seeking the Lord in prayer had now become an established pattern of his life and ministry! He had learned that prayer was an indispensable part of both life and ministry! How else could he bring hope to the children of Israel effectively?
“So he cried out to the LORD,
and the LORD showed him a tree.
When he cast it into the waters,
the waters were made sweet.”
EXODUS 15:25
Once again, God answered in His own marvelous way! How do we explain how a tree can cause bitter water to become sweet? We cannot! It was God’s special way of teaching His children how to exercise faith and trust in Him! Complaining was a poor option!
THE PRINCIPLE OF TESTING
The Lord used the occasion to tell the children of Israel that He would test the integrity of their heart!
“There He made a statute and an ordinance for them,
and there He tested them, and said,
‘If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God
and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments
and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you
which I have brought on the Egyptians.
For I am the LORD who heals you.'”
EXODUS 15:25-26
1. A great challenge – to walk in full obedience
Why should the children of Israel not fully heed the voice of the Lord? Why should they not seek to keep His commandments with all their hearts?
2. A most heartening promise
What a promise from the Lord! “None of the diseases…” What a promise! What a relief! How the heart must be greatly heartened by this promise!
3. “I am the LORD who heals you”
Just as the Lord can heal waters, so can He heal whatever ills and difficulties the children will face! Israel must learn how to turn to the Lord in greater faith!
With these thoughts in mind, the Lord then led them to Elim, “where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they encamped there…” Exodus 15:27