Bitter & Sweet

GETTING STARTED

Do you ever question God? I do, all too often. I challenge him about why he sends challenges, heartache, and sometimes serious problems into my life. I gripe at him because he doesn’t answer prayer more quickly, or answer prayers the way I want. I so easily fall into the trap of complaining about things before first stepping back and evaluating the matter with the assurance that he has a purpose, and a GOOD ONE (Romans 8:28). The problem often is inside me (perhaps along with the circumstances). I question whether God really has my best interests at heart—his heart!

  • What does it take in life to cause you to doubt God?

READ THE WORD: EXODUS 15:22-27 (ESV)

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. Imagine you are responsible for leading two million people on foot through the desert in the Middle East. Moses knew the land well. He had spent 40 years tending sheep in this region for his father-in-law (Exodus 2-3). Elim (vs. 27) was just nine miles from Marah, one day’s march away. They could just as easily have marched directly there instead of to Marah. Why do you think Moses set off in the direction that led to Marah? If the Lord was leading Moses, why would he take them to a place without good water (vs. 25b)?
  2. How does the way the people responded (vs. 24) to the lack of good water contrast to the way Moses responded (vs. 25)? Which way do you naturally respond? Why?
  3. The people complained that they didn’t have good water to drink, and God “healed” the water for them to drink (vss. 24-25). After this, how did God describe himself (vs. 26b)? What do you think God wanted the Israelites to understand about him?
  4. God offered Israel his blessing (vs. 26) but placed what condition on it? How have you experienced this in your life? Are you now?

RESPOND TO GOD (115 words)

Does God really know all things? Does he already know what I will do and think in my heart before I ever respond to circumstances in life and the events he permits? If so, who really needs to know these things? We need to understand ourselves well and resolve in advance what our decision will be. Sure, we can wait until the test comes, but committing now how we will respond to God will have a huge impact on our attitude and behavior when testing comes.

Pray to God our Father:

  • I commit now to yield to you in every trial of life (James 1:2-4).
  • Help me always to trust you to make sweet every bitter event in my life.