Exodus 15

The people sing of the LORD’s salvation. They praise and exalt and lift up His name. He is a Warrior who has fought for them and destroyed the Egyptians in the heart of the sea. All the peoples will hear and be filled with terror and dread until the sons of Israel have passed through the land. The first recorded song in the Bible.

And yet, somewhere around three days later, the people have gone from worshiping the LORD to complaining. This time because of a lack of water. Unfortunately a pattern that is going to become all too familiar.

The LORD is testing them. Will they trust in Him or themselves? Are they going to focus on their circumstances or the LORD who controls those circumstances? It seems they have a ways to go. But that’s what treading Torah Road is all about. Learning to trust the LORD more consistently in our circumstances. It’s a process that takes time and intentionality. And we’re going to blow it. But then we go again.

One of the things I love in this passage is the LORD’s patience. This is the second time the people have grumbled, and yet the LORD simply provides. There will come a time when He disciplines their continued grumbling and disobedience (their refusal to obey Him), but now they are learning what it means to trust the LORD, and He provides them with an amazing oasis with springs and palm trees.

The LORD is patient with us, too. Nothing that happens in our lives catches Him off guard. The LORD wants us to trust in Him in every circumstance. With the big things and the small things. He wants us to walk by faith while He guides and directs our steps. When we trust Him, we are in that place of worship. When we are trusting in ourselves, well, that’s where the grumbling comes in.

Of course, that assumes we have a relationship with the LORD. That starts with faith. Recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

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This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.