Focus: Lord, Sweeten My Bitter Waters!

Text: Ex.15:22-25

"So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were BITTER: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses… And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD SHEWED HIM A TREE…"

From the Red Sea Israel journeyed to a wilderness by the name Shur, and found no water to drink. Wilderness journey is always wearisome due to the scorching heat of sun. It was frustrating to Israel having travelled a long distance, and yet found no water to drink and refresh themselves. Then they set out again yet to another place where they found water, but it was not drinkable. And so they called the place by the name of Marah, because the waters were bitter. 

Have you ever been in a situation like this, where you moved from the place of no water to the place of bitter waters? Israel could no longer keep their cool. They lost it. They allowed the situation of the bitter waters to give them bitter hearts and bitter attitudes. They quickly and rashly lashed out at Moses. In anger, they asked Moses, "What shall we drink?"

Instead of exchanging words with the people, Moses decided to go to the Lord and let out the tears in His presence. God showed him a tree, which he threw into the bitter waters, and amazingly, the waters were healed. Right in the place of bitter waters Israel encountered the glory of God and experienced a miracle. God turned the bitter to sweet, and in Cana of Galilee, Jesus Christ turned water into wine.

One important lesson to learn from this story is this: 

Wherever God leads you, He also provides for you. He leads and feeds us. He takes care of every situation and changes the bitter into sweet. No situation of life ever surprises God.

Marah was not a surprise to God. Knowing that they were certainly going to arrive in a place like that, He provided an answer before they got there. The tree was already there waiting for them to arrive. For your sake God can turn bitter water into a sweet one.

Be rest assured that if God leads you to the waters of Marah, He would provide the tree to sweeten them - the tree of Calvary. The cross cures; it brings divine healing to every part of our lives. By the stripes of Jesus Christ we are healed. By the shed blood of Jesus Christ we are pardoned for our sins.

Divine solution is always a mystery. Imagine a tree being God's solution to a bitter water! God knows what to do to get you out of a bad situation. We should learn to trust God in this life's journey. Give up your insecurities and trust God to help you every bit of the way. He answers prayers and grants revelations of hidden answers. He helps us see His own unique solutions.

God will open your eyes to see your own peculiar trees as you seek His face and cry out to Him. Let your prayer be: Lord, open my eyes to Your solutions! Show me what to do! Let Your wisdom guide me! Sweeten my bitter waters! As I move from the place of no water to the place of bitter waters, don't let me grudge or murmur about anything! Rather, let me trust You at all times and cry out to You in times of need! Sweeten my life with joy, peace and spiritual beauty! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter