Rapha, My Healer
After crossing the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a song to celebrate God’s victory over Pharaoh’s army.
Soon after, in the wilderness, they traveled for three days and couldn’t find any drinkable water. The people began to grumble against Moses. What are we going to drink? In their hearts, they likely wondered: “Why is this happening to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
God responded by providing sweet water, and later led them to a place with springs and palm trees. God said to them:
“if you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the lord who heals you (YHWH Rapha).”
Exodus 15:26
It’s easy to praise God when things are going great, right after a big victory or miracle, just like the Israelites did after crossing the Red Sea. But a few verses later, they faced a tough challenge: no water in the desert. That’s hard! They began to question, grumble, and even doubt.
Exploring this passage, we learn that the same God who rescued His people from Egypt is the same God who cares for them in the wilderness. He invites us to trust and obey Him, because He is the God who heals and cares for His people.
Let’s explore this story with our littles and teach them about YHWH Rapha and the importance of remembering:
Engage:
As you read Exodus 15:22–26 with your little one, help them step into the story and feel the big contrast between a joyful celebration and a time of worry or fear.
Celebration: The Israelites just saw God parting the Red Sea, and drowning their enemies! Ask, “How do you think they felt?”
In awe of a powerful God?
Happy?
Worry: A few days later, the Israelites had no water in the desert. Ask, “How would you feel if it was hot, you were tired and thirsty, and there was no water to drink for days?
Would you feel worried?
Afraid?
Nervous?
Show a cup of water and say: God made the bitter water sweet and showed them He is YHWH Rapha.
Feel free to act it out, be as dramatic as possible :)
Apply:
After exploring the story, help your little one think about ways God heals and cares in our own lives:
Practice Remembering: Talk about times God has cared for them or healed them, when they were worried, scared, or needed something even small things like a hug, food, or help from a friend.
God is always the same: Just like He cared for the Israelites in the desert, God cares for us today. Encourage them to say, “God heals every part of me, from my head to my toes, from my heart to my soul”
Obedience from love: God is good, and we obey Him not because we have to, but because we want to.
Repeat & Reinforce:
“Bandage a Worry” Object Lesson
Give your child small paper “bandages” or sticky notes. Have them write or draw something that worries them and place a bandage over it. Talk about how God heals our worries, fears, and hurts.
Say together: “God heals my heart and my fears.”
“Memory Map”
Draw a simple map of the desert journey (Red Sea → Marah → Elim). Use small stickers, figures, or stamps to mark where God provided, healed, and cared for the Israelites.
Say together: “God cares for us and He heals us on the journey.”
“Remembering Water Drops”
Cut out paper water drops. On each drop, have your child write or draw a time God helped, healed, or provided. Tape them along a “spring” to see God’s faithfulness flow.
Say together: “I remember God’s goodness, He is always the same.”
“Rapha Celebration”
Give your child two paper hearts: one for “good times” and one for “unknown times.”
On the “good times” heart, draw or write moments they want to celebrate God for.
On the “unknown times” heart, draw or write moments they can trust God even when they don’t understand.
Hang both hearts together as a reminder that God is worthy of praise always.
Say together: “We celebrate God when things are good and trust Him when we don’t know.”
Closing Thought:
Just like God cared for the Israelites in the desert, He cares for us in every season, when life is easy or when it’s hard. When we obey God, remember what He has done, and celebrate His goodness, we see that He truly is YHWH Rapha, the Lord who heals. Encourage your little one to carry this truth in their heart: God heals, cares for us, and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
I’ll leave you with this 3-minute animated video from Stories of the Bible about the story of Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness.
For even more hands-on fun, pair this mini-devo with the activity sheet below.
Love,
Gi 🤍
Rapha Activity Sheet
Introduce children to YHWH Rapha with this interactive Exodus 15:26 activity set that teaches them how God heals our bodies and our hearts.
Page 1 includes: A name-tracing card, a "bitter to sweet" water coloring activity, and an emotion-matching section with a head-to-toe prayer.
Page 2 includes: A three-step "Celebrate & Trust" heart guide where kids color, draw, and talk through their feelings with God.
Moses in the Wilderness | Stories of the Bible
