God is Jehovah-Rophe

Jehovah-Rophe . . . the God (Jehovah) who heals (Rophe).  That's a pretty good God to put your trust in, don't you think?

This name of God is found in the Exodus story.  Three days after Jehovah had set them free from the Pharaoh, after parting the Red Sea and finally putting the Egyptian captivity behind them . . . just three days later they were whining.  OK, whining may be strong.  Because they had had no drinking water for three days, and hadn't been able to find any.

So God said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

It's very interesting to read the entire chapter of Exodus.  The first 21 verses are a song of praise and worship, exalting this magnificent power who has saved them, who has changed their lives forever.  But they could only endure 3 days of hardship before the praise turned to pouts, before the worship turned to wondering.

I think verse 26 is God reminding them that this thing they have - God and God's people - it's a covenant relationship.  God chose them, made a covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  He promised His people that they would be His, and He would be theirs.


He promised a relationship.  And it gives me food for thought today - I say a want a relationship with God.  But how often is this relationship all about me?  I don't get what I want, what I think I need, and I immediately start doubting Him.  I lose my focus.  I lose my pleasure in my relationship.  After all that He's done for me, after all He's promised to do for me, after all the times He's proven Himself to be faithful and true . . . I doubt.  And, a relationship isn't one-sided.  (Not a good one, anyway.)  It isn't sketchy and filled with long periods of time with no interaction.  A true relationship is constant, it's consistent, it's moving and working and flowing all the time.  On both sides. 


I don't know about you, but I'm just like the Hebrew nation.  Quick to praise and exalt, oh yes.  Quick to whine and complain?  Oh, definitely. 


God, today I need you to be Jehovah-Rophe for my spirit.  I need to be healed of my tendency to forget that you are there all the time, not just when I need you.  I want to soak you in.  Please heal me today, and forgive me for what I now see is a relationship lapse on MY part, not yours.  Amen