活水湧流
出埃及記十七章1至7節
1以色列全會眾都遵耶和華的吩咐，按著站口從汛的曠野往前行，在利非訂安營。百姓沒有水喝，
2所以與摩西爭鬧，說：給我們水喝罷！摩西對他們說：你們為甚麼與我爭鬧？為甚麼試探耶和華呢？
3百姓在那裡甚渴，要喝水，就向摩西發怨言，說：你為甚麼將我們從埃及領出來，使我們和我們的兒女並牲畜都渴死呢？
4摩西就呼求耶和華說：我向這百姓怎樣行呢？他們幾乎要拿石頭打死我。
5耶和華對摩西說：你手裡拿著你先前擊打河水的杖，帶領以色列的幾個長老，從百姓面前走過去。
6我必在何烈的磐石那裡，站在你面前。你要擊打磐石，從磐石裡必有水流出來，使百姓可以喝。摩西就在以色列的長老眼前這樣行了。
7他給那地方起名叫瑪撒（就是試探的意思），又叫米利巴（就是爭鬧的意思）；因以色列人爭鬧，又因他們試探耶和華，說：耶和華是在我們中間不是？
信息分享
神為何要人受苦？神為何不滿足人的願望？神為何要延遲答允我們的要求？你曾否為你本人或你的朋友，提出過類似的問題呢？
這些難題可說是千古之謎。就正如經文中的以色列民，無法理解神為何領他們到一個全沒有水源的地方，以致他們苦無水喝。但其實，神領他們到那裡，是為了要他們學習另一項的功課。
可惜，以色列人並沒有尋求神的心意是要他們學習甚麼；他們只懂得向神和他們的領袖大發怨言。向神發怨言，是對神不敬的表現；它等於質疑神的帶領。而且，怨懟的心態是很容易互相感染的；當一個人開始發怨言，其他人也很容易跟著抱怨。然而，埋怨只會消耗我們的精力；我們在困難中應保留精力，求神幫助我們去尋求解決的方法。
但神的恩慈無限。祂不單沒有為著百姓的怨懟而責罰他們，反而吩咐摩西用杖去敲打磐石，接著便有水湧流出來。
被摩西敲打的磐石，果然流出活水。百姓只需輪流取水，就能解渴。神已經預備一切，百姓若還口喝，就只能怪自己，不能再埋怨神的供應不足。
摩西只需敲打磐石一次，水就源源流出。有趣的是，自從這次缺水之後，便一直要到四十年後的飄流尾聲，當以色列人的下一代需要再次認識神的能力和神有充足的供應，才再出現缺水的事件（參民數記二十章1至13節）。
保羅在哥林多前書十章4節指出「那磐石就是基督」。那是指基督在各各他山上，為我們一次而永遠地受苦。從基督那靈磐石中已經湧出了生命的活水，它是為我們白白傾流的；任何人都可以取這水喝，就能得著生命的飽足。
頌讚：
頌讚耶穌基督賜給我們生命的活水。
WATER FOR THE THIRSTY
Exodus 17:1-7
1 Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.”
So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD? ”
3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst? ”
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel.Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not? ”
Message
Why does God allow suffering? Why doesn't God do the things we expect him to do? Why doesn't he act more quickly? Have you ever tried to answer questions like these, either for yourself or for someone else?
It is never easy to answer that kind of question. The Children of Israel could not understand why God had led them to a place where there was no water for them. But they had been brought there to learn another lesson in God's school.
Once more instead of learning from God, they were murmuring against him and against their leader. Murmuring dishonours God. It says that God doesn't know what he is doing. Murmuring is catching. When one person starts to do it, it soon spreads. Murmuring also wastes our energies, which could be used for God in other ways.
God is wonderfully gracious however. Instead of pouring out judgement on the people, he told Moses to hit a particular rock with his rod and water would come out. That is exactly what happened.
When Moses struck the rock, it gave life-giving water. All that the people had to do was to take and drink. God had done the rest. If they refused to drink and were still thirsty, it was their own fault and God was not to blame.
The rock was struck only once. It is interesting that the need of water is not mentioned again until near the end of the 40 years of wanderings, when a new generation needed a display of God's power and provision (see Numbers 20:1-13).
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:4 'that rock was Christ'. It is a picture of how Christ was smitten for us on Calvary once for all. From him has come the water of life and it is free for everyone to take it for themselves.
A PRAISE NOTE:
Thank God today for Jesus Christ, the wonderful water for life.