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Bitter Waters
by Captain Sam
Nolan Jones
I’ve had a few hard months. Days I
didn’t feel like I could take a full breath. Many...if I’m
honest. I’ve been sick to my stomach about hard decisions I’ve
had to make as a leader - and cried. Frustrated about
situations out of my control. Sad and disappointed by people.
Many of these feelings puts me in fight mode - my natural
protective mechanism I’m not normally aggressive. So I’ve also
been fighting with myself to live surrendered - to live
patience and grace - to live out trust in God - to guard my
words. And all of this has left me pretty tired overall.
Tonight after a long day, I read over
my scripture study for my sermon Sunday - Exodus 14; God is
delivering His people out of slavery in Egypt. The people see
great power shown. Exodus 15 begins with a song of praise.
Then Moses leads the people away from The Red Sea for three
days and can’t find water and when they finally do find water
- it’s bitter. And obviously the people complain. So, Moses
cries out to the Lord.
Scripture says that God told Moses to
throw a tree into the waters and it made it sweet and it says
there He made them a statute and regulation, and tested them.
Sounds ominous.
Exodus 15:26 - And He said, “If you
will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and
do what is right in His sight, and listen to His commandments,
and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on
you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am
your healer.”
I’m so grateful for a God who comes
alongside us in our grumbling, at the bitter waters where we
have such a need for a drink but no good options - maybe seems
like none - and He touches the waters to make them good, not
just clear but sweet - and invites me into relationship (as He
always does) into following Him and then proclaims to be the
“Lord my Healer.”
There’s so much hurt in our world. Many
open wounds. If you’re sitting beside bitter waters - I pray
that you would call out to God and that He would give you
sweet water to drink in whatever way you need that and remind
you that He is the Lord your healer.
He is a mighty God who cares for us.
He isn’t laughing at us beside the bitter waters or
scolding us for needing a drink or for complaining we’ve got
no good thing to drink.
He’s ready to meet our need, to call us
to follow, to remind us that He is the Lord our healer and we
don’t have to fear His might nor struggle without Him.
Heal us great Healer - use the bitter
travel stop in our own lives for deeper trust in You and
deeper work of healing and growth in us. Amen.
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