QT 3/16/2026 Exo 15:22-27, God truly cares

Exodus 15:22–27 (ESV) —

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

 

NOTE: I'm convinced, in combination with the passages in Hebrews 3, that Israel's problem was not faith, at least not faith in the power of God. Yes, I know, many suggest that the immediate needs blind us to past victories, but this was like, yesterday when they saw the Egyptian Army destroyed. I don't think the people did not believe in the power of God, I think they fundamentally were not sure of the love of God. Yes, God had huge power and can move and destroy nations, but the real question, did he care for an individual or a family, especially when there is no water and my little ones or animals are going to die in a few days. Does God care? In the gospel, while Jesus is sleeping, a storm comes upon the boat. The disciples wake Jesus, and he immediately calms the storm. In one of the gospels, it is recorded that someone said to Jesus, "don't you care" and Jesus responded with, "where is your faith?" I think we get faith wrong -- it is not believing that God has the power, but rather that God cares about us personally. The worst thing you can say to God is that you don't believe he cares for you as an individual. He deeply cares for you and deeply loves you.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I believe God knows me and truly loves me?
2. If I do, then when bad things happen, do I believe God is working to bring good out of these things for me personally as well as his glory?

 

PRAYER: Father, I get what the father in the wilderness saw. Yes, he saw you as a big God, but he wasn't sure your bigness extended down to a little guy like him and his family. The message of the gospel is that you do really care for us, not just the big picture things. Help us to trust in your care.