Water from the Rock: Is the Lord Among Us or Not?
“Is the Lord Among Us or Not?” Scripture Reading: Exodus 17:1–7 Have you ever been in a hard situation and thought, “God, are You even here?” That’s exactly where the Israelites found themselves in Exodus 17. They had just witnessed God’s mighty deliverance—ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, bitter water turned sweet, daily manna falling from heaven—and yet they still doubted His presence. This story is not just about ancient Israel; it is about the human heart that forgets God’s past faithfulness when faced with present problems. The Setting The people journeyed through the wilderness, moving from place to place at God’s command. They arrived at Rephidim, only to find—no water. Instead of praying, remembering God’s miracles, or trusting His plan, they quarreled with Moses and accused him of bringing them out of Egypt just to die of thirst. The Meaning of Massah and Meribah After God provided water from the rock, Moses named the place Massah (“testing”) and Meri...