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The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 20 February 2023 – Bitter Water Made Sweet
TOPIC: Bitter Water Made Sweet
READ: Exodus 15:22-16:11(NKJV)
- So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.
- Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they [were] bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
- And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
- So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast [it] into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them,
- and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I [am] the LORD who heals you.”
- Then they came to Elim, where there [were] twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.
- And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.
- Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
- And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat [and] when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
- Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.
- “And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
- Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt.
- “And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what [are] we, that you complain against us?”
- Also Moses said, “[This shall be seen] when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what [are] we? Your complaints [are] not against us but against the LORD.”
- Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.’ “
- Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
- And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
THE MESSAGE:
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The story in our text today started with the people not being able to drink the bitter water of Marah and ended with God promising to rain bread (Manna) from heaven.
On both occasions, the people murmured due to the challenges they met but Moses looked unto God to solve the problems and God directed him to a tree which when he cast into the water, it became sweet. Later Moses summoned a meeting of the people with God in the Wilderness of Sin.Many a time we murmur and complain than crying unto God when things go wrong. We thank God for a leader like Moses who knew what to do in times of crises. He never chided the people but called upon God fora solution. You may not have a Moses to stand for you, but you have Jesus. What ugly experiences are you passing through now?Call upon God like Moses. He will come to your rescue and you will have cause to glorify Him. Murmuring and complaints annoy and do not honour God. Cry to Him today and there will see a miracle in your life.
PRAYER: O God my Father, I do know you have the power to turn bitterness to sweetness. I hand over my case to You. Amen.
