Living Life by Design

The psalmists in Psalm 78 gives us a sad commentary of how God’s people responded to their miraculous rescue. In spite of God’s provision, they ‘sinned even more’, rebelled and ‘whined like spoiled children’ (vv.17–19).

God helped them anyway. He ‘rained down showers of manna to eat, he gave them the Bread of Heaven’ (v.24). This prefigured the spiritual food that Jesus provides (John 6:30–35).

Likewise, ‘When he struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly’ (Psalm 78:20). In a miraculous way, God provided water from a rock. Yet, the people still doubted God ‘for they did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance’ (v.22). 

Although miracles are wonderful, they do not always cause people to believe in God.

The miracle of water from a rock really happened, but it also prefigured and anticipated something even more amazing. The apostle Paul writes, ‘they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ’ (1 Corinthians 10:4). 

Are you thirsty?

Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flowing from within.” By this he meant the Spirit…’ (John 7:37–39).