PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Numbers 19-20
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.” (Numbers 20:8)
In these chapters, notice the water: cleansing water, water from the rock, and Edom’s water.
God provides water in their wilderness, even though they quarrel (meribah) with God.
Water represents life and healing, and only God can satisfy this deep soul need.
The people quarrel (Exodus 17), but where else could they find the water they needed.
Was it really better in Egypt, and would Edom share its precious water?
Israel’s need for good water is both physically and spiritually real – it is for us too.
God sends Jesus to meet our deepest needs for cleansing and satisfying thirst.
“Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38)
Jesus speaks to our hardened hearts and spiritual ‘living water’ pours out of us.
Where else can we satisfy our soul’s deepest thirst for life and healing?
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
The wilderness of this world leaves us thirsty; with his words Jesus satisfies our thirst!
As a Jesus follower, I listen for Jesus to speak to my soul, that I may drink it in.
While this world leaves me desperate, hearing Jesus for me is cleansing and satisfying.
PRAYER
Lord, I need your living, cleansing voice to speak to my rock hard heart. I am thirsty to hear from you, refresh my soul with your living water!
Some places in my past are associated with bad memories – Kadesh qualifies as one of them for Israel – the death of Mariam and Aaron, no water and Moses and Aaron’s neglect to honour God by angrily hitting the rock instead of speaking to it in the name of the Lord and their subsequent sentence, and then the blockage of passage through Edom. Yet God is working on cleansing the people and making them aware of his holiness – and theirs – God is Holy and they must trust Him alone – even the rituals point to God’s and their need to be holy. Do I see myself as Holy as a follower of Jesus?
Water.
Physically, we can not live without water. Nor can we live without living water.
God is the spring of living water but mankind have been digging their own cisterns and turning away from God. There are many examples in God’s word that God gives His people what they need when they turn to Him but when they turn to their own desires they are lost and hopeless. Living waters is the way to salvation the the way to truly know the Lord. I need to drink deeply of that water.
Jesus the water of life will give,
Freely, freely, freely;
Jesus the water of life will give,
Freely to those who love Him.
Come to that fountain, oh drink, and live!
Freely, freely, freely;
Come to that fountain, oh, drink and live!
Flowing for those that love Him.