Our recent move to the country has been an adventure in many ways. The stars are amazing in the open sky, bugs and spiders exist in abundance, and well water tastes pretty good. Recently, my son’s friend was visiting from the suburbs and we explained to him how our well works. My husband and I both paused as we considered how it symbolized a spiritual truth. The work crew had drilled down deep into the ground through the bedrock and didn’t stop until they reached water.

Exodus 17:1-7 reveals that God’s provision isn’t tied to natural circumstances. He’s the God of the supernatural (Exodus 17:6). As Moses struck the rock, following God’s instructions, life-sustaining water came gushing forth. But this miraculous story is not only a testimony of God’s faithfulness to His people in the wilderness, it’s a foreshadowing of the power of the cross. As Paul wrote, the water from the rock was symbolic of the living water that flows from Christ: “All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:3-4).

The psalms speak continually of God as our Rock (Psalm 61:2, Psalm 95:1). Truly He is the source of our strength and our sure foundation. But He’s also the provider of our salvation, based in Jesus, made possible by His death on the cross. He brought the living water of new spiritual life to us, replacing the dryness of our spiritual death.

Moses struck the rock and the people were “able to drink” (Exodus 17:6). Jesus was struck down so that you and I might be able to drink deep of His grace.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Mark 9:38-50