You may find yourself drinking from the bitter waters at Marah someday. If you do, there are a few things to remember.
When the Israelites were passing through this land they had gone several days without water. I can only imagine what it would be like to be traveling though the dry barren land and not have water to quench my thirst. Looking far into the distance someone spots water and they all began to move quickly towards the water only to find out that this water is not good drinking water. This water is bitter.
There are many places in this region that shows bodies of water that is bitter. There is the Great Bitter Lake, the Little Bitter Lake and then there is Marah. In our lives we will be given the opportunity to drink from trials of great bitterness or small portions of bitterness. Each of you know right off hand some of the times you may have already been offered the water at Marah.
When the Israelites got to the water they had a choice. Needless to say, they chose exactly what you and I usually choose. They began to grumble and complain. Moses then turned to God and asked what he should do. Now why did the Israelites not turn to Moses and ask that they stop and pray to the God Almighty that had just parted the Red Sea and let them go across on dry land. Maybe the same reason we don't. God can carry us through a trial and we are praising his name all the way through it and we never even think to grumble and complain. Then we are faced with a new trial during the same week and the first thing we do is start to grumble and complain.
God knew before the Israelites ever came to Marah that they would be passing that way. He had already made prior arrangements for them. There was a tree growing by the waters of Marah. Many years prior to them arriving God had allowed a seed to fall to the ground and germinate and produce a tree and just sit by those waters and wait for the Israelites to pass by it. When Moses turned to God and asked him, What should I do". We see in the following verse that God showed him a tree. "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 showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet."—Exodus 15:23-25.
There is actually a tree called the Moringa Oleifera tree. This tree is known to purify bad water. We don't know if this is the type tree that the Lord had allowed to germinate beside the waters of Marah but we do know that the Lord was the one that showed the tree to Moses when he prayed. The Lord may not have provided a tree for you whenever you pass through bitter stages in your life but he truly has provided just what you need if you will turn to him and ask.
Don't choose to grumble and complain. Be a Moses and turn to God and ask for the Lord to show you how to turn your bitter water into sweet water. Your tree may be in the form of a friend or family member, an item, or a book. Just asked the Lord to show you what your tree is that will turn your bitterness into the joy of the Lord. As the Lord was to the Israelites, their Jehovah-Rapha, the God that healeth Thee. He too can be your Jehovah-Rapha.
Our Children, grandchildren, friends and acquaintances will be drinking from the waters that we drink from, so be sure and don't dig your well too close to the Great Bitter Lakes or Marah. The springs that feed Great Bitter Lake and Marah, will also be the springs that feed the wells that you dig. Be sure and dig as close to the River of Life as possible so that you will know that the waters your friends and family drink from is the Living Water.
