Devotional
When you are in the military, water is important, just like it was to the children of Israel. It is necessary to sustain life, and must be supplied for an army to move. In the Navy, water must also be controlled and used as part of everyday operations. Ships float above it, submarines travel beneath it, giant propellers move it, and reactors are cooled by it.
The young cadet in this dramatic image is learning first-hand about the power of water, and how to bring it back under control. The training is messy and challenging, but vital to the safety of the crew and conduct of their mission.
In Exodus 6:7 God promised to bring His people into the promised land, but once on their way, the multitude needed help to sustain life. They needed food and water every day. If God were to fulfill His promise, He had to provide a way for them to get to the land of promise. If the children of Israel were to get to the promised land, they had to trust in God’s promise.
The desert is a barren place, with lots of rocks strewn about. It’s an unlikely place to find water, but the children of Israel had to have water. If they all died of thirst in the desert, then God’s holy promise would not be fulfilled. Did Israel learn a lesson about faith that day?
Even though the Children of Israel grumbled against God in Exodus 17 because there was no water to drink, God, in His mercy, still provided. God controlled the water by opening the rock, and kept His promise.
Dear Lord, I have many needs, and I don’t always trust you. Help me to have faith that you are God, my God, and that you will provide all of my needs as I travel this earthly path to heaven, my promised land. You are the water of life (John 4:14). Amen.
Entire Quote and Image Information
Psalm 105:41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. 42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant. 43 So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. Image info: NORFOLK (Dec. 7, 2009) Junior ROTC cadets from Virginia Beach, Va. receive hands-on training inside the Damage Control Wet Trainer at the Submarine Learning Facility in Norfolk. The trainer is designed to help submariners prepare for deployments by simulating flooding in a controlled environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Billings/Released)
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 105:41 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
