“Near the Waters”
Exodus 15:22-27
EX 15:22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" 25 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. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
INTRODUCTION
• This morning, I want to compare the journey of God’s people in our passage to the journey of God’s people today.
• Let me give you a few stops along the way in our spiritual journey:
I. The place of DELIVERANCE {vs 22}
" Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea …”
• Interestingly enough, this journey begins when God’s people were led out of bondage
• Similarly, our spiritual journey must begin the same way…deliverance from any bondage and the hand of the enemy.
Think of a husband and wife in a car, the wife tells her husband to turn right at the next junction and by mistake, he turns left. When he realizes what he has done, he says to his wife “I’m sorry love, I went the wrong way.” But if that is all he does, it isn’t enough. His saying sorry isn’t getting them any closer to where they want to be; it isn’t even stopping them getting further away. To get where they want to be, he needs to stop the car, turn it around and go back on to the correct road that his wife told him to take in the first place.
II. The place of DRYNESS {vs 22}
“…they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.”
• There are times in our walks with the Lord where things don’t seem very refreshing or very exciting.
STATS by Barna
The following terms were used in the survey by those being surveyed who confessed to be born again Christians, in describing themselves:
(a) Stressed Out: 31%
(b) Too Busy: 49%
(c) Needing New Friends: 50%
(d) In Debt: 40%
(e) Dealing with Addiction: 11%
(f) Self-Sufficient: 90%
(g) Searching for purpose: 48%
(h) Skeptical: 55%
• Take note that this took place just a few days after receiving the Red Sea experience
• We must not think it strange that, as soon as God delivers us or answers our prayers, the enemy will try to make our spiritual journey quite dry.
III. The place of DISAPPOINTMENT {vs 23, 24}
“…When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" ”
IT’S A PUPPY
It was the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils. The florist’s son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Some flowers." "That’s right" the boy said, "but how did you know?" "Oh, just a wild guess," she said.
The next pupil was the sweet shop owner’s daughter. The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, "I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets." "That’s right, but how did you know?" asked the girl.
"Oh, just a wild guess," said the teacher.
The next gift was from the son of the liquor storeowner. The teacher held the package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop of the leakage with her finger and touched it to her tongue. "Is it wine?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with some excitement. The teacher repeated the process, taking a larger drop of the leakage to her tongue. "Is it champagne?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with more excitement. The teacher took one more taste before declaring, "I give up, what is it?" With great glee, the boy replied, "It’s a puppy!"
• They went three days without any water at all and when they finally found some…it was bitter.
• This had to be INCREDIBLY disappointing!
• Have you searched and searched for something from God only to be a bit disappointed with the result?
You finally get a job & it doesn’t work out
You think you have found someone you love and it falls apart
The answer to your prayer is delayed
You tithe and it still seems like the money isn’t there
You get involved in a ministry & don’t see the results you want
Things aren’t moving spiritually like you would like them to
IV. The place of DIRECTION {vs 25, 26}
“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. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." ..."
• God had some very specific instructions for the people and for the leadership.
• Some of these instructions were a bit strange; yet, Moses obeyed and God brought about the supernatural.
Please listen closely, church! A major test for you on the heels of your DELIVERANCE…in the midst of and DRYNESS…and when you go through DISAPPOINTMENT will be your willingness to follow the Lord’s DIRECTION!
• Are you struggling with a direction or a command that God has given you?
HIS LEADING
* Give a certain amount
* Witness to an individual
* Pursue His call
* End a relationship
HIS WORD
* Tithe
* Personal Disciplines
* Etc
These 1st four stops in our journey can be quite challenging and somewhat difficult!
Yet, if we are faithful and if we are obedient, we can experience the last stop in this journey:
V. The place of the DYNAMIC {vs 27}
“…Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.”
• The Lord had a beautiful place in store for them and has one for us as well
• A place of:
Refreshing
Relaxing
Reasons
Refuge
Rest
RESPONSE
• Where are you at in your spiritual journey?
* Do you need DELIVERANCE from sin?
* Are things DRY in your walk with Him?
* Are you DISAPPOINTED with your circumstances?
* How are you receiving your DIRECTION from Him?
• God has a place of the DYNAMIC for you!
