Thursday, June 10: Are you thirsty?

Having spent a few years living in the desert changed my frame of mind in reference to heat. There were days when the temperature soared above 120 degrees. Though many people mention that it was a dry heat, my preference is not life in an oven. I never could drink enough water, though the lack of humidity coupled with the heat did not cause me to perspire. But I was always thirsty.


When the Jews were wandering in the wilderness, the Lord supplied every need, just as He does with us. Having been to Jordan, I can easily picture the desolate, red sand in every direction. Somehow, when we see desert, we automatically become thirstier. Even though the Lord was supplying manna for them to eat on a daily basis, the Jews still struggled with their trust of the Lord.


Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.”
So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?”
3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will  stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”
Exodus 17:1-6


In the New Testament, we see the bigger picture with the revelation of this event. Jesus is the Living Water and the Rock of our salvation. Without the Rock being struck, with the crucifixion of Jesus at Calvary, we would not have eternal life. Through His death, our life has meaning. Without Him, our souls thirst for the Living God. Yet even with Him, we endure dry spells when we struggle to hear His voice. At those times, make sure that you are giving Him the opportunities to speak to you! Are you attending church services? Are you reading His Word? We are not camels, able to store water up for the time when we are thirsty. Instead, we need to eat daily and drink daily.


O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1


Remember, seven days without Jesus makes one weak!