An Oasis in the Desert - The Crosswalk Devotional - May 4

An Oasis in the Desert
By Emma Danzey

“‘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. 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?’ 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 fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, ‘If you listen carefully to 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.’ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.” - Exodus 15:22-27

From One Trial to the Next
Do you ever feel as if you are exiting one difficult season, only to be met with another challenge? This is life, isn’t it? Right when we feel settled or confident, in comes a curve ball. These are allowed by our sovereign Lord to refine and shape us into His likeness. As the Israelites came out of their intense escape from slavery in Egypt, another opportunity to trust arose. They were in the desert and needed water to survive. I can only imagine their parched lips as they traveled wearily along the hot sandy terrain.

When they came to Marah they realized the water was bitter and unsafe. They asked the question, “What are we to drink?” as they grumbled and complained. This response was not Christ-like, it displayed little faith. However, they were authentically worried for their lives. How could they make it through this? Did God just bring them out of the Red Sea to die in the desert? Did He betray them? I am sure they wrestled with thoughts of doubt and confusion.

God Works in Unexpected Ways
Where the people put their faith in Moses, we see Moses put his faith in God. He prays directly to the only One who can truly change their circumstances. How often do we forget to pray? We try to problem solve but miss out on the calling to rely on our Lord for help. “Moses cried out to the Lord.” This does not sound like it was a casual prayer, but a pleading with God to move. Then, we see the Lord gave instructions and provided clean water for the Israelites to drink. Just when they thought they were going to die, the Lord provided a way out. This reminds us of our Savior Jesus. He was the long-awaited Messiah and He calls Himself the Way. (John 14:6) When our sin was a barrier to eternal life, Jesus took our place. Through His death and resurrection, came to our rescue and made us righteous.

God Provides an Oasis
After this miracle, God told His people, “If you listen carefully to 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 is stating He is the Healer; however, the Israelites were also given the freedom to choose if they wanted to follow His way of living, which resulted in protection and blessing, or their way of sin and rebellion, which would lead to diseases. He then provided an oasis with twelve springs and seventy palm trees for them to live near. The Lord invites us into His fullness of life, but we must be willing to seek Him in the desert. There would be no appreciation for the oasis if we were not in a desert. Where there is a need, there is a deep gratitude for provision. Ultimately, we need to trust in Christ as we traverse various deserts. He not only reveals an oasis, He IS our oasis. His Holy Spirit is alive and active in us, and we can be refreshed day by day.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
What trials are you going through right now? How is God working in unexpected ways? God provided an oasis for the Israelites. How can you cling to Him to be your Living Water today?

Further Reading:

Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com and check out her Instagram @Emmadanzey.