This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go…The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob. They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out.  Isaiah 48:17, 20, 21

Today is the first day of Lent, roughly 40 days before Easter. As I read this passage my heart is renewed. It describes the plight of mankind. All of us pass through the deserts of life where it is dry and desolate. Isaiah wanted the Jews to know that God is a caring God and that he takes it upon himself to help people like us to get through life, even the hard times. There is no doubt the Jews were passing through horribly troubling times.  Isaiah reminded them of when the Jews were in a dry and difficult place many years ago. Here is the picture.

As Moses led the Jews out of Egypt they passed through the Arabian desert, a dry and unwelcome place. The multitude pled for water.  They appealed to Moses for water! Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod, and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.  Exodus 20:11. One does not expect to get water from a rock, but from a stream. God provided water in a very surprising way – from a hard, dry rock. But it came forth only after Moses struck it, not once but twice. His rod split the rock and water gushed forth for all.  It was indeed miraculous, it had to be God, for He alone can do such things.

As I said, today Lent has begun. It will climax after several weeks in recalling another such event. Our Lord Jesus, hanging on the Cross, was struck, pierced with a sword.   We read, One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.  John 19:34  Jesus is the rock.  What can he offer the thirsty soul?  He offers his life blood and the water of life, freely and abundantly for all who are thirsty and parched. Surprise, surprise!  All of us who know the saving grace of Jesus stand in awe of this “piercing.”  By his wounds we are healed.

Maybe the Lord will remind us of that holy moment as we live in the experience of Jesus on the cross this Easter season, paying the price to have our sins forgiven  When he brings this to mind, let us praise him with our whole hearts with joy.