Children’s Sermon

Exodus 17:1-7

Water and the Rock

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Exodus 17:1-7

Water and the Rock

By Lois Parker Edstrom

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt into a land where they could live together and do well.

After they left Egypt, they traveled through the desert and came to a place where there was no water. The people began to quarrel and complain to Moses. They felt as if they would die of thirst.

You may know what it feels like to be tired and thirsty. Perhaps you’ve experienced this yourself when you’ve been on a long trip. It can cause you to feel a bit grumpy.

Moses prayed to God and said, “What shall I do with these people?” (17:4).

God instructed Moses to go to a place called Horeb, find a certain rock, and strike the rock with his rod. There was nothing magical about Moses’ rod. It was a simple stick similar to what shepherds use to guide their sheep.

Moses did as God had asked him to do and water poured out of the rock. What can we learn from this story?

• We learn that Moses trusted God.

• We learn that God brought about a miracle.

• We learn that sometimes we can use what we have in our hands, or nearby, to solve problems and help others as Moses did with his rod and God’s help.

This story teaches us about our relationship with God. In the Bible God is called “our rock.” Water flowed from a rock and gave the Israelites life. God, our rock, is strong and gives us life.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2013, Richard Niell Donovan