Reflecting the Image

Scripture:

Exodus 15:27

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water. (NRSVUE)

Observation:

The children of Israel were now in the wilderness, and they were struggling to keep trusting God. They needed water, and when they found it at Marah, it was bitter. Why would God bring them this far, only to have them die of thirst? Why would He bring them to water that they were unable to drink? But the Lord made the bitter water drinkable and reminded them that He was the LORD who healed them.

All of that comes before this one little verse. It’s fascinating that this detail would be placed into the story.

Somebody counted!

There were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. Maybe it was the specificity of what was provided that caught their attention. I can’t help but see in the twelve springs provision for the twelve tribes of Israel, and in the seventy palm trees a number that carries a sense of fullness throughout Scripture. The text doesn’t tell us that this is why there were twelve and seventy, but the numbers caught my attention. Here, in the middle of the wilderness, was an unexpected picture of abundance and provision.

Twelve springs. Seventy palm trees.

And they camped there by the water.

Elim wasn’t the end of the journey. They couldn’t remain there forever, and there would be difficult days ahead. But for this moment, God had brought them to a place of rest and provision. Someone noticed. Someone counted. And someone remembered.

Application:

God is constantly at work in this world, but we often fail to see what is happening because we are not paying attention.

Years ago, Chuck and I went to a car dealership just to look around. That’s a dangerous thing to do because those salesmen don’t want you to just look around — they want you to buy! We had prayed that day that the Lord might help us make a difference in someone’s life.

The first salesman who was encouraging us to look around was called away, and he sent over one of his colleagues. We struck up a conversation, and, of course, he wanted us to look at a car. We did — and then we took it for a test drive. The salesman rode with us, and for the first few minutes we just made small talk. But as we were turning back into the dealership, he asked us, “What do you do?”

Chuck mentioned that he was the pastor at a local Church of the Nazarene. Immediately, the salesman began telling us a story about how our childcare/daycare had helped to save his daughter’s life. He couldn’t believe that we were from that church.

We left the car dealership with a new, used car. We also left with our eyes opened to the salesman, whom we had invited to come to church. A few weeks later, there he was on a Sunday morning. He returned week after week, bringing another family member each time, until nearly ten people were attending our church. We had a revival during that season, and many of them gave their lives to the Lord.

What do I remember?

One car dealership. One salesman. One car we bought. And a family that began coming to church, with many eventually giving their lives to Christ.

Twelve springs. Seventy palm trees.

There’s a reason to remember the specifics. They become markers along the journey that remind us that God has been at work. Elim wasn’t the end of Israel’s wilderness journey. They would leave those springs and palm trees behind and face difficult days again. But they had been there.

Somebody counted.

Somebody remembered.

And somebody wrote it down.

Maybe we should do the same.

Where have you seen God at work? What are your twelve springs and seventy palm trees? Pay attention. Mark them down. Tell the stories. There may come a day when the journey becomes difficult again and you will need to remember.

Yesterday’s provision doesn’t mean that tomorrow’s journey will be easy. But remembering God’s faithfulness helps us trust Him when the road becomes difficult again. The same God who was present at Elim would remain with His people when they broke camp and continued into the wilderness.

Twelve springs. Seventy palm trees. God was there.

Keep counting.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for the reminders throughout life that You are at work. Open my eyes to see Your activity and provision, in both little and big ways. Help me not to take these moments for granted, but to remember them, mark them down, and tell the stories to others. And when the journey becomes difficult again, remind me of the twelve springs and seventy palm trees along the way. Amen.