A good friend recently reminded me of the story of the waters at Marah in Exodus 15. It was actually a few years ago that another dear friend shared how her pastor had encouraged her with this story. I have loved this story ever since and it is something I often come back to when thinking about singleness, but its truths apply to many situations that find us wandering, wondering, and waiting….
Then Moses led 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. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter;…So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.
The Israelites had just experienced God’s mighty redemption from Egypt and seen the waters of the Red Sea part so they could cross. They were in the wilderness for just 3 days and began grumbling and doubting the Lord’s provision. God, in all His compassion, heard their complaints and made the waters sweet so they could drink. Why did the Lord wait three days to give them water? Why hadn’t He already provided something for them? Why did He lead them to water they couldn't even drink?
He knew what was ahead…
Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.
He had something far better waiting for them than bitter water made sweet. He had an oasis just down the road!
I am so like the Israelites. The Lord has done marvelous things in my life and shown His mighty hand in my life over and over. But give me a few days of hard times and struggle and I quickly turn in to a grumbling, ungrateful child. I can’t see the whole picture or know what is ahead. I only know I am ‘thirsty’ now and I want the Lord to fix it! I know I am single and I just don’t want to be anymore, so give me a husband already Lord. I want to move onto the next thing, so let’s just get on with it Lord!
I stand at the bitter water and think it is what will quench my thirst, but I don’t know what is ahead. Do you think if Israel knew what was ahead, they would have bypassed Marah and kept on trucking to their oasis? I think so. Do you think they sat at those 12 springs and said, “Can you believe we wanted that bitter water?” I imagine they did.
God’s provision is always abundantly more than I can imagine. I don’t want bitter water when I have twelve springs waiting. I know I will come to bitter waters in times of thirst and I will probably grumble and ask the Lord to make them sweet for me. My prayer has been, however, that the Lord would withhold the bitter water, even when I cry out for it, and to help me wait for the twelve springs He has prepared. I know it will be worth it.
Why do we struggle with this so? It seems that in every season of my life, my heart forgets the Lord's great provision, and I become ungrateful so quickly. Oh, these wretched bodies, stained by sin! Thanks for this reminder...
ReplyDeleteAmen! We are forgetful...just like the Israelites. Unfortunately, that wasn't even the last time they complained or grumbled. You would think that when they were dissatisfied again someone would have said, "Wait a minute, Y'all! Remember the twelve springs? Well, I bet there's something God's preparing for us that we can't even see from here just like the oasis!" Instead, they had to learn the hard way by either missing out on a blessing or receiving a belated blessing.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful that I have sisters in Christ who remind me to hold out for the twelve springs and whatever the Lord has prepared for me just around the bend! Plus, they remind me that it's often in the times of uncertainty and waiting that I learn the most about God's character and am so sweetly dependent upon Him alone!
May we continue to spur one another on to love and good deeds and constantly remind each other of the Lord's faithful provision in our lives!