He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas. (Psalm 78:15, NIV)
Looking at Psalm 78, one would not at first see it as either messianic or Christmas-like. It is an encouragement to parents about instructing their children, reciting God’s great acts in bringing Israel out of Egypt. Asaph’s intent seems to be that children should not be like the unfaithful Hebrews during the wilderness journey out of Egypt—those who received the good things God provided but failed to honor Him for it. (Be sure to tell your kids to write thank-you notes for their gifts!)
In particular, verses 15–20 speak of the water God gave out of the rock: He “gave them water as abundant as the seas; he brought streams out of a rocky crag…When he [Moses] struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly.”
Several times in the New Testament, Christ says that He could and would supply water. He told the Samaritan woman at the well that if she realized who He was, she would have asked Him to give her living water (John 4:10). And again, during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus urged anyone who was thirsty to believe in Him so that streams of living water would flow out of them (7:37–39). The apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, urged them to remember the experiences of the Exodus, saying that the people all drank water from the same spiritual rock, and that rock was Christ! (1 Corinthians 10:4). We might wonder how the people could have known that it was Christ providing the water, but Paul assures us it was so.
The Christmas season is a joyful one for most of us, but we can also be exhausted by it: the decisions, the gifts, the entertainment and travel. When we feel “wrung out,” with overwhelming schedules and demands, let’s turn to the ever-present source of refreshment once again. It’s Jesus and the living water of His Holy Spirit. Take a minute to sit down quietly, and turn to Him for that refreshment today!