Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 14:26 (New Living Translation)

26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

This is part of the (hi)story of God’s people leaving Egypt and taking the long route to the land promised to them. Just a few days out of Egypt, they come to an oasis that has water, but the water is not good.

God helps Moses perform a miracle and make the water good for drinking. After this demonstration of God’s power, the word of God comes to the people in the above verse.

Listen to God and do what is right in God’s sight and you will have health.

Don’t listen to God and don’t do what is right in God’s eyes and you will suffer all the diseases that the Egyptians had recently suffered.

Hmmm, let’s think about this choice for a moment. Suffer all the diseases or be healthy. Of course everyone chooses health, right? Wrong. There are always some people—there are always some days in my life—where folks (where I) choose the other way and suffer.

What is wrong with us? Why do we choose the answer that is obviously wrong? Do we not take seriously the words of God? Do we “want to make our own mistakes?” (I never understood that path.) Do we simply love disease and the sympathy that others show us when we are ill?

I suppose there are many explanations. I suppose there are many excuses. Please God, help me in my unbelief. Help us all to believe and walk in the ways that are right in Your sight. Let us accept Your blessings.