ELIM, THE PLACE OF REFRESHING AND REJUVENATING

Exodus 15:26-27 - saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

The Word of the Lord is very reassuring to the children of Israel but it comes with a condition too. The text said that only if they will LISTEN DILIGENTLY and ACT RIGHTLY then they will live in health. Sometimes it is easy to claim the promises of God because it is very plain but to actually see the fulfilment of the promise of God requires obedience - listen carefully, and act accordingly. Now, that’s the difficult part.

But here, God’s Word is sure – “I am the LORD, your Healer”. The Healer is the Lord himself - the one and only High God and there is none other. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deut. 6:4). The only great big wonderful Father in heaven is also our Healer. I believe God desire to see us living in health. He desire to see us not plague with sickness. Look at the Israelite during the 40 years in the wilderness – no sickness, no worn-out clothes and shoes. It’s a miracle. I believe God wants us to be healthy, to be freed from sickness, and to be free from the power of sin in our lives. But we have to listen diligently and act rightly.

The wonderful thing we notice is that right after the promise of a free-from-diseases promise God led them to a place called Elim. Not only was the Word of God reassuring but the provision of God was immediately felt when he brought them to Elim “where there were 12 springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the river.” Elim is a place of refreshment, a place of renewal and rejuvenating from the heat that comes from journeying towards the Promised Land. I believe that when we learn to walk humbly before the Lord; quick to listen diligently, carefully, and intentionally we will experience the leading of the Lord to the place of quiet rest. That’s where we find quietness and confidence, that’s where we find strength. I believe that when we walk humbly before the Lord by acting and behaving rightly according to the laws of the Lord we come into godly wisdom, and godly wisdom will lead us to the “Elim of God” where we will receive refreshment. Acting rightly is not acting conveniently, not acting to please someone but living life before the Lord and everyone else according to the standard and rules of God.

We can experience the shade of the palm trees as we journey in life’s harsh wilderness and the penetrating north wind of adversity. We can enjoy the water-holes, the springs that quench all thirst and refreshes us from the hot and dry south wind of disappointments. Yes, we can. All we have to do is to walk in obedience to the commands of the Father and the leading of the Holy Spirit through the love of His Son Jesus Christ with humility – listen diligently and act rightly!

God bless.