Exodus 15:22-25 So Moses brought 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. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.
Gloriously delivered out of Egypt, the children of Israel find themselves needing water. They come to a place called Marah where they discover that the water is undrinkable and bitter. Life can be like that at times. Right after some great victory, a bitter experience. We go from soaring in praise to murmuring and bitterness. “Pastor Moses” goes to The Lord for the people, and Jehovah shows him a tree, which when cast into the waters, made the bitter waters sweet. Paul writes to the Galatians, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)
The curse of the law, and all of the bitter consequences of sin were borne upon the cross of Jesus on Calvary. Jesus bore the wrath we deserve. Jesus was forsaken by The Father that we might never be forsaken by Him. Until we go to glory, we dwell in corruptible bodies in a sin-diseased world that even cause creation to groan. We cry. We suffer loss. We experience bitter circumstances. But, blessed be His Name, when (not if) life’s bitter experiences come your way, dear child of God, look to Mount Calvary where Jesus bore the full brunt of that bitter experience. The truth of His gospel is sweet medicine to the bitter experiences in this life. Apply the love and comfort of Calvary to your Marah today, beloved. Selah.
