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, 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.”
Exodus 15:25–26, ESV
God’s desire is to protect His chosen, but because of our fallen nature, we are unable to be fully faithful to our Lord. That is why He sent His Son and walked among us. It wasn’t a trick, but it is a revelation of the mercy of our Lord. At every turn, the people of Israel grumbled against God after every major miracle and sign of providence that God had given. It didn’t seem to matter to them. Sadly, this has not changed. Because of sin, we often have short memories and treat one another and God with a “what have you done for me lately” mentality. We quickly forget blessings when we find difficulty. We often forget the years of plenty when we fall into years of struggle. Our focus is quickly diverted away from God and onto things of the world. The sickness and disease in our world are a sign of the lack of faith that we all possess, but it does not mean that our personal lack of faith has caused it. In our times of struggle, God is there. In our times of plenty, God is there. Rely on Him at all times and know that our Lord never leaves us, but He abides and stands with us in all things. Let us remember the great miracles we find in the Word, but also the miracles which He has created in our lives. Most miraculous of all is the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave all so that we may be set free and led out of the bondage of sin and into the eternal kingdom. We have been blessed because no matter if we are born children of Israel, we have been grafted in and made children of promise.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.