Scripture:

“Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means ‘bitter’).

Then the people complained and turned against Moses. ‘What are we going to drink?’ they demanded. So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.

 

It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.’

 

After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.” Exodus 15:22-27 (NLT)

 

Perspective:

The Israelites left Egypt in grandiose fashion. As the Egyptians pursued them, the Israelites walked through the Red Sea on dry ground while watching their enemies be swallowed up in the sea. It was unimaginable that God would deliver them in this way, but they celebrated the faithfulness of God and sang on the other side of the sea. It didn’t take very long, though, for that moment of praise to turn into moments of panic. The people were traveling a path they had never traveled before. In that foreign place, they saw they were without the very necessity to sustain life itself. They were hot, tired, and thirsty. Everywhere they looked, there was no sign of water, but when they arrived in Marah, they saw water. All the panic would have turned into relief until they realized they couldn’t drink the water. Moses hadn’t planned for this moment either. So, Moses did the only thing he knew to do: ask God. The Israelites almost let the bitterness of the water in Marah cause them to forget God’s faithfulness at the Red Sea. God’s faithfulness and provision didn’t end at the Red Sea; He was going to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. They didn’t know that there was an oasis coming that would have abundance of water for the people, but God did. They had to walk through the test to find the blessing.

 

Life is full of twists and turns, and sometimes we find ourselves in a place where we would rather panic than praise. We walk out of one miracle into an unexpected desert. The highlight moments of one season can make us feel confused when we enter a difficult season. However, God’s faithfulness does not change with the seasons. His covenant relationship with you still stands. You may be facing the bitterness of your situation and wondering why God hasn’t helped you. The place where we need a great miracle is a place where God wants to show Himself faithful again. Like Moses, we have to fall at the feet of our gracious God and ask Him for the answer we can’t find. God showed Moses a piece of wood, an ordinary piece of wood, to throw into the water. In response to Moses’ obedience, God turned something very ordinary into the very answer the people were needing. As you look to God, He is going to show you how you should move forward. However, don’t underestimate His directives if they look ordinary. Something ordinary can become the key to the blessing when we walk in obedience to God. If you are facing a difficult or seemingly bitter situation, let your praise overcome your panic as you anticipate God turning ordinary things into provision in the desert.

 

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

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