Water from the Rock

After God provided food in the form of manna and quail for the people of Israel, the people camped in a barren dessert and found themselves thirsty. Once again in frustration and desperation the people lash out at Moses who, again, turns to God:

4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” (Ex. 17:4)

Again God provided in a way that only God could - causing water to pour out of a rock.

In Matthew 21, when the chief priests and elders question Jesus' authority, Jesus refuses to answer their inquiry and offers a parable instead: A man has two sons and asks each of them for help. One says he will, but does not follow through. The other son refuses, but later reconsiders and does what is needed.

Those who should have been most prepared to recognize Jesus, and receive the salvation he offered could not let go of their expectations and missed out on the life giving power of Jesus. Those rejected by the establishment were open to receiving all that Jesus offered.

Jesus is the rock of our salvation and the rejected cornerstone.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature of God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place