Bitter waters. Exodus 15:22-27 Beginning in verse twenty-two and continuing through chapter eighteen, the story of the Israelites' journey from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai offers us valuable life lessons. In the dramatic story of the exodus, where the Lord was teaching about Himself through the miracles He performed in Egypt, He revealed Himself to His people as the Almighty Deliverer who could conquer their enemies and free them from bondage. In this next section of the book of Exodus, God shows Himself as the completely sufficient Provider.
In our journey through life, we move through stages, starting from the day God saved us by His grace and delivered us from the coming wrath, progressing through a training process to prepare us for what lies ahead. In the difficult and challenging experiences we face, we learn to trust and obey the Lord even when we don’t understand why tough things happen. Then, we recognize our weaknesses and learn to depend on Him. The hardships of life serve as lessons that prepare us to accept the outcomes of being citizens of God's kingdom while passing through this world as pilgrims and strangers.
Our citizenship is in heaven, and we already have a personal relationship with the Great King. This makes us and our motives for living very different from the lives of those who live for this world. Those who are in the kingdom of God don’t fit well in a sinful worldly society. However, in His mercy and ongoing purposes of grace, we are taught how to live in the world without being part of the world system. We learn how the bitter can be made sweet. The wilderness can be a safe place to live when we are in fellowship with God. He will supply everything we need for as long as He knows it is necessary.
The path of God's guidance led Israel to the bitter waters of Marah. Sometimes, the difficult experiences God's people face are meant for our education rather than punishment. The tree that was thrown into the water symbolizes the cross of Christ, which takes away the bitterness of sin and provides us with blessing and spiritual growth in the Christian life that follows, after the healing of the “tree” on which He bore our sins in His own body.
Bitter waters aren’t serious unless they make us bitter. We might sing of triumph one day and soon afterward face despair and disappointment. Israel was led into the wilderness for three days, and even though it may not have seemed as fertile as the land around the Nile River, it was a land of freedom. It was also where God had His school for training His people. We may not always understand the paths and places God guides us to at the moment, but they are not into the world, rather away from it. Of that, we can be sure. We are "in the world," but we are not "of the world." The first day of the journey into the wilderness would have been filled with enthusiasm, relief, and joy as they thought about their deliverance from Egypt and God's great victory over Pharaoh's army. There would be a newfound camaraderie common among wilderness travelers as they remembered the past and perhaps sang a few lines of the new song of victory. Our first reactions after being saved by grace are filled with enthusiasm for God's love and mercy. A spring of faith rises within us, eager to embrace every part of this new life in Christ. Faith appears strong, and the obstacles seem unable to diminish our joy.
By the second day, the breezes from the Red Sea were behind them. They were heading into an arid desert without trees or water. The road ahead looked dry and hot. The enthusiasm from the day before cooled off a bit as they drank the water they had brought with them. But that water wasn't fresh, and there was no place to refill their water bags. By nightfall, they would be tired and hope that tomorrow would be better. It doesn't take long on our journey of faith to realize that not everything will be easy. In fact, when we walk with the Lord, we often find ourselves in difficult places and tough circumstances. The wonders of our new life in Christ have not removed the pressures of living as a Christian in a hostile environment.
The third day's journey became tiring and dull for the travelers. This hardship caused them to look for something to vent their frustrations. Moses was the one they blamed for their discomfort. People may benefit ninety-nine times from the efforts of those who lead them, but if, even once, things don't turn out as planned, they will blame their leader - or even God - for their disappointment. Complaining, disillusionment, and grumbling may follow soon after blessings because the process of training has its limits, and most people resent those limits of life and work.
We sometimes feel great enthusiasm in our Christian life and believe we can do anything God asks. But then, the "first and second days" glow fades, leaving us to face the pressures, problems, and pains of the "third day." Our deceitful hearts still with us lead us to complain and grow bitter. Even the refreshing water we hoped would quench our thirst ends up tasting bitter.
Our expectations in many parts of life are shaped by stories we've heard and victories others have celebrated. When we experience these situations ourselves, we often find they are not all perfect or easy. Some of the toughest roads we travel lead us to the greatest blessings. It's important that when tough times come, we don't let bitterness take hold, as it corrupts us and others around us.
Skeptical people prone to distrust can quickly shift from praise to complaint. Adversity has a purpose. It is during difficult times that we learn our Lord is the Great Provider, capable of turning bitter moments into valuable lessons in patience amid tribulation. Our faith is tested and strengthened, and we discover that we can find joy in and through God despite the stress and pain of hardships.
When we are guided to focus our spiritual eyes on the cross during challenging times, we learn what God expects us to do to please Him. We also discover what to expect if we fail to follow His guidance. His patience and tolerance when we complain remind us that He does not abandon us, even when we fall short. We are then to follow the example of the children of Israel. The statutes and ordinances of God, which clarify the matters that need resolution between us, are explained in terms of cause and effect. Listen to what God says and do what is right, and He will preserve us in times of trial.
The wise person in God's training school will not jump to quick conclusions or judge our struggles and setbacks prematurely. During testing times, we discover who we truly are and how to grow through the test. Often, those who face deep grief and painful loss are, in God's own plans, the ones who emerge from the refining fire shining the brightest and are trusted with the noblest callings in the future. The answer to the bitter waters, the remedy needed, isn't something far away that’s hard to find. There was a "tree" there. When that tree was cut down and placed into the water, the water turned sweet to drink.
The "Balm in Gilead," the "healing" we need, the solution to our problem, is available. Just as God had to show Moses that specific tree, we also need to understand and remember the great blessings that come from Him who "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." The cross has lasting significance because of the One who fulfilled every claim of God against us there. The bitter things become sweet again when we think of "The Lord that healeth thee." In that place of bitter water, the Lord revealed Himself in a new way. There, in that same place, the promise of freedom from disease for those who obeyed the "voice of the Lord thy God" was given.
The Spirit of God does not recount all the events in the wilderness journey of the children of Israel, but He does give enough of what they experienced to teach us how to live for God and serve Him acceptably in difficult times. The key to effective Christian living is to obey God and leave the outcome of each situation to Him. When we learn to trust Him, we can find the joy He provides despite stressful and painful times.
The resting place of Elim, "the strong ones," where they experienced the abundance of the Lord's supply, followed the bitterness of Marah. Life is neither easy nor will it ever be for those who commit themselves to follow the Lord. We don't spend our lives for the Lord under the palm trees of Elim. A short rest during the journey of faith is always welcome, but it is not the place where victories are won or where God's promises are claimed. It is not at Elim where souls are dug from the pit and hewn from the rock. Thank God for bitter waters made sweet and for strong resting places—now, let's get back to the journey!