Sweet Water

Exodus 15:22-27

The disappointment and frustration of the people is understandable. You travel three days with no water. When you find water you can’t drink it. So the people complain to Moses. Moses passes on the complaint to God. God shows Moses a piece of wood, also translated “a tree.” He throws the wood into the water and the bitter water is made sweet.

The Cross of Christ would not consciously be in mind here, but, with the advantage of looking back from the Cross, we can see what will prove to be a persistent concern of God. It is God’s desire to use humans under his direction (Moses/Church) to be the agents of immersing the means of his redemption (piece of wood/Cross) into the sea of bitterness that washes over much of the world and seeps into too much of our experience.

Do you have something you are bitter about? There is healing available, if you want it. You do? Sweet.

Prayer:
Lord, help us truly to desire and accept the healing you offer in every way. Through Christ. Amen.