Day 8: The Lord Who Heals You

Read: Exodus 15:22-27

Exodus 15 | NIV Bible | YouVersion


It’s so easy to grumble and complain when things don’t go your way.  And that’s precisely what the Israelites did when they arrived, after a 3-day journey through the desert, at the oasis of Merah.  They were hot, tired, and thirsty.  Their water was running out. There before them was an oasis, but as they rushed to drink and fill their water bottles, they discovered that the water was too bitter to drink!

Life is full of such disappointments.  You didn’t get the promotion you’ve been working so hard for.  The car breaks down—again!  Your spouse forgot your birthday.  Something suspicious came up during your last medical checkup, and the dr. says it doesn’t look good. Suddenly, everything comes screeching to a halt, and you are faced with your own bitter waters of Merah.

What do you do when you find yourself facing disappointment?  It is in that moment, perched at the edge of dismay, that you have a choice to make.  You can choose to whine, or you can choose to trust.  Remember, God has not forgotten you.  He knows all about your discouraging situation. 

Do you believe that God has your life in His hands, that He is leading and guiding you every step of the way?  If you do, then you can believe that He has brought you to this moment, and that He has a plan and purpose for you, even in this time of distress.  Sometimes God uses times of trial and hardship to teach us, to shape and mold us.  But He always “works all things together for our good” when we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

After God helped them and made the water drinkable, He told them this: “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”  Soon, God would give them His laws, and many of them were designed to keep them from sickness. Their dietary laws protected them from certain types of illnesses.  Their moral laws protected them from sexually transmitted diseases.

God’s laws are often designed to keep us from harm. The little boy I babysit has a fascination with electrical outlets.  He knows that these are a “no-no,” but he doesn’t really understand that he could get a nasty shock if he touched one. Just as parents set healthy boundaries for their little ones, God established boundaries to keep us from harm.  And, just as tiny toddlers often don’t understand the potential dangers, we at times don’t understand the hidden consequences of disobeying God’s laws.  When we don’t understand, we have to simply trust and obey, believing that our Heavenly Father has good reason for saying no, trusting in faith, that He truly is the Lord who heals us.

 

Listen: Trust His Heart - YouTube

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