Exodus 23:25-26 HCSB Worship the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. I will take away your illnesses. (26) No woman will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you the full number of your days.

Bless bread, water, woman. Some in the “health and wealth” camp of theology who would like to promise you “Your Best Life Now” would point to these promises and crow “See? If you would only have sufficient faith (and $19.95 to buy my book) you would never be sick, your woman would get pregnant and never miscarry, and you would live a long life!” Never mind the many saintly women and wives of saints who struggled with infertility in the Bible. Never mind the many that were specifically praised for their faith in Hebrews 11 who suffered, struggled, and starved. God is no bubble gum machine. You cannot insert x amount of faith and pop! Out comes your wish. There are no genie bottles to rub. There are no magic caves to which we can cry “Open Sesame” and gain access to unfathomable wealth.

There are two things that must be considered here. First, the promise was to a specific people at a specific time. How do we know? Consider the very next two verses:

· Exodus 23:27-28 HCSB "I will cause the people ahead of you to feel terror and throw into confusion all the nations you come to. I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you in retreat. (28) I will send the hornet in front of you, and it will drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites away from you.

The second is that there is an overall principle that we must take from this passage. The implication is that when Adonai’s people obey Him and walk in His ways, they will be a happy people. God will look after them. They may struggle. They may not. They may be poor or they may be wealthy. In either case, Hashem will have lessons for them to learn and grace upon which they must lean.

Worship the Lord. Nevertheless, we are left with one unalterable command: “Worship the Lord your God.” We must do this regardless of the outcome. We are the clay and He is the Potter. We are the slaves and He is the Master. We are the children and He is the Father. We are the building blocks and He is the Cornerstone. Over and over we are given the impression that we must humble ourselves under His mighty hand. We are to give Him our spiritual service.

· Deuteronomy 10:12 HCSB "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you except to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul?

· Joshua 24:14 HCSB "Therefore, fear the LORD and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the LORD.

· 1 Chronicles 28:9 HCSB "As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.