Bitter Sweet

They had just experienced one of the most spectacular and dramatic rescues in the Bible. They had come to the edge of the sea in their flight from the Egyptians and could go further. They were trapped. ‘They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us out to the desert to die?”’ (Exodus 14:11a). ‘Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today”’ (Exodus 14:13a). Then God instructed Moses to stretch his hand out over the sea. The waters divided and the Israelites were able to go through on dry ground.

There was much rejoicing, singing and dancing. And they continued on their journey through the desert. But for three days they were without water. They became hot and restless, and angry with Moses. Someone spotted an oasis in the distance. They gathered up their clothes, and desperately rushed towards the water where they fell upon their knees and began to drink. The water was undrinkable. Again, they turned against Moses, grumbling and complaining. “This water is bitter. Now what can we do?”  Had the Lord delivered them from the Egyptians so that they might die in the desert? Moses called upon the Lord, and the Lord indicated a piece of wood lying nearby. Moses threw it into the water, and the water became sweet, and satisfied their need.

I wonder if some of us are wandering around in the desert? We’re not sure of the way forward, or have come to a point where we can go no further. We’ve tried all the ways we know and are now faced with an impossible situation. God showed Moses a piece of wood, a rugged fragment of a tree. Could this be a symbol of the cross of Jesus Christ? A forerunner of what was to come? Moses flung the piece of wood into the midst of the bitterness, and the water became sweet. How about if we were to introduce the cross of Christ into our own impossible situations?

“My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Yet we stumble on through the desert, searching for an oasis, or a solution to our problems, or a way out of our particular predicament or hardship. We can’t see an answer, and perhaps we are even beginning to blame God for them.

This is playing into the enemy’s hands. He would have us look everywhere except to our one true source for help. We need to look beyond our difficulties or hardships, to the One who can take us out of the desert and give us living water. That rugged piece of wood lying in the sand, trampled over by many, is where our answer lies. It’s in the cross of Jesus Christ, who died so that we might live.

‘So I'll cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it some day for a crown’ (George Bennard 1873–1958).