Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Exodus 17:7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT?
Today's Bible verse takes us back to the days of Moses when God was leading the nation of Israel out of captivity in Egypt. The people were traveling through the desert in the southwest of the Sinai Peninsula. Tempers were short and a quarrel broke out when it came to everyone's attention that there was no water to drink. Before, the Israelites thought they would die at the hand of Pharaoh in Egypt. Now, they anticipated dying of thirst in the middle of nowhere.
They took their anger out on God. They began to question His presence among them. They put Him to the test with their words saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" It was an insult to God for them to suggest such a thing, for the Israelites already had plenty of evidence that He was with them (such as the pillar of fire and cloud and the parting of the Red Sea).
The same insults can so easily come from our own hearts too. When an obstacle rises in our path, we might put God to the test with words such as, "God, if you really loved me, you would help! If you were really here, you wouldn't let this happen!"
Is He really with us? He answers that question in no uncertain terms. He sent to us His own Son Jesus who is called Immanuel (meaning 'God is with us'). Christ is the proof that God will be and is with us always. Instead of running away from us, sinners though we are, He forgives us and stands by us. How great is His mercy!
