Moses

February 28

Exodus 15:22-25

Bitter water

After the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, Moses led them into the desert of Shur. They had been walking for three days but had not found a drop of water.

They came to place called Marah, but the water there was so bitter that they could not drink it. Everyone started complaining. “What are we going to drink, Moses?” they asked.

So Moses prayed to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw the wood into the bitter water and the water became fresh and sparkling.

How can a piece of wood change the taste of water?

Do you think that the piece of wood Moses threw into the water was special in some way; that it flavored the water or sucked up the bitter taste like a sponge? That piece of wood was probably like any other you would find lying in the desert. So, what made the piece of wood so special? The wood was not special at all—God made the bitter water fresh!

Problems like the Israelites faced, and the problems we face, remind us how much we need to rely on God. The Lord wants us to ask Him for help and trust Him to do the impossible. Being obedient, even when we need to do something that doesn’t make sense, shows that we are willing to trust God without wanting to know the reason for doing it.

God is still making bitter things sweet; He can take away our angry thoughts and bitter feelings and put the sweetness of His peace in our hearts. He does this through the Holy Spirit who is the spring of living water that flows with love from each one who is born again (John 4:10-14).

Verse for today

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble …” Hebrews 12:15.