#DailyDevotion Do You Grumble In Fear Or Pray In Faith?

Easter Week 1 Thursday

Read Ex 17:1–16

Exo 17:6-7  Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.  (7)  And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

You can hardly blame the Israelites. The Lord and Moses bring the Israelites out of Egypt into the wilderness and they bring them to a place where there is no water. Remember there are about 3 million people here. That’s a lot of water needed. Why does the Lord do this? Well we know the Lord was testing them to see if they would do what he told them to do.  The number one thing he wanted was for them to trust him.

Well instead of trusting the Lord, who had already done marvelous and mighty acts, they grumble again against Moses and the Lord. They question why the Lord would bring them to such a place. I think we probably can understand it somewhat. But what they don’t do is go to the Lord, humbly, with faith and present their request to him. They grumble and complain. Well the Lord hears their complaint and gives Moses a plan to bring them water. There is a large rock in the wilderness where this occurred and it does look like water has worn it down. Despite the people’s lack of faith, the Lord provided them water.

Now how do you live your life? Has the Lord brought you some places you would rather not be? Do you grumble against the Lord and tell him how unfair he is? I find that I and other people do not always come before the Lord humbly, remembering the Lord cares for me and them. We forget the Lord actually does know what he is doing with our lives and we do not see the big pictures. Finally, we don’t come to the Lord with our prayers, supplications and petitions with faith that he will get us through whatever it is we are going through. We need to remember several things all the time but especially when life gets rough. One our Lord Jesus Christ does know what he is doing and knows what is going on in our lives. Jesus and the Father do care for us. Third, Jesus does want us to come before the Father confidently and boldly and bring our petitions and he will hear us. And fourthly, our Father, for the sake of Jesus, will work all things for good in our lives. We simply need to trust him. We might want to pray for greater faith while we do so.

Heavenly Father, we do not always understand or know what you are doing and why. Give us such faith in your son Jesus Christ, that we may always come humbly, but also boldly and confidently in the mercies of Christ to bring our supplications and petitions to you, trusting you will do that which is best for us and for your Church to the glory of your Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.