Steven A. Bush - July 23, 2023
Marah, Massah, Meribah, Mercy & Might
Following Israel's exodus from Egypt, testing soon followed. Food and water were at the top of the complaints. Time and time again God not only showed Himself faithful, but merciful and mighty. The Israelites were prolific grumblers and Yahweh Elohim was the consummate provider. At Marah He turned rancid water into pure. At Massah He instructed Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water flowed like a river. Then 40 years later in the northern part of the desert, He instructed Moses to command a rock to deliver water yet again but this time an enraged Moses disobeyed and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water indeed flowed out and the people drank their fill, but Moses' punishment meant He'd not enter the Promised Land. That place was infamously called, Meribah. We too may find ourselves in a spiritually waterless place where all we can do is cry out to God to refresh our souls. At the Sychar well when Jesus encountered a sinful Samaritan woman, He offers these words found in John 4:14: "... whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (NLT) Jesus is the Wellspring of Life, the Fount of Many Blessings, the Quencher of all Thirsts and He bids our parched souls to come and drink. Yes, He bids the thirsty to come! Will you?
Scripture References: Numbers 20:1-13, Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 17:1-7, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 63:1-5, John 4:10-15, Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 21:5-7, Revelation 22:17