Page 44 - Living Light Autumn 23

Wednesday October 18 - Faith in weakness
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became sweet. Exodus 15:25
When Moses, in his weakness, cries out to God, he shows us what faith in God really looks like. In answering, God draws Moses to a seemingly random piece of wood – which is anything but random, for God long ago prepared the tree that bore it, just for this miracle moment!
Foreshadowed in the miracle at Marah is something even greater; a greater cleansing, the miracle of our salvation – yours and mine! For God one day prepared another tree, and another piece of wood, for the cross that bore his precious son. Jesus’ death on that cross would cleanse God’s people from the bitterness of sin and death’s destruction, once and for all. Jesus said, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. The water I give them will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14-15).
We will all face difficult struggles, if not today then one day, for God leads us through challenging desert places to teach us things about himself, and to strengthen our dependence on him for the rest of life’s earthly journey. God promises to draw close through his word, provide for our deepest needs, and lead us safely to our glorious future home... and we can trust him for it! His promises never fail!
Lord Jesus, your sacrifice for me on the cross has given me eternal life. ‘You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance’ (Psalm 32:7). Amen.
Thursday October 19 - I will refine you
“There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them...” Exodus 15:25
I once watched a jeweller ‘testing’ gold, heating chips of gold in a dish over a fierce flame. Soon the liquid gold sparkled and quivered, bubbles skittered across its surface and burst in tiny puffs of smoke. “That’s the impurities burning away,” he said, “the gold is purer now.”
God led his people into the desert, setting them apart, but drawing them close, ‘and there he tested them’, to make them his holy people – his sweet water in a bitter, sin-filled world. God is at work in our hearts, sweetening our bitterness, and when we go through tough times, he strengthens our faith, in our weakness, through his powerful presence. ‘The Lord is near’ (Philippians 4:5); ‘...the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him’ (Psalm 32:10).
Hear God’s very great promise for us: ‘...now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls’ (1 Peter 1:6-9).
Father, help me to live for my King Jesus this week; help me follow and obey him. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY