Bitter Waters

When God delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt, He did so in a mighty way.  His power was demonstrated to them repeatedly while he granted the freedom they longed for.  One of the first tests the people faced after they had complete separation from the pursuing Egyptian army involved three days in the wilderness with no water.  When they finally came to water, they could not drink it because it was bitter.  They murmured.  I probably would have, too.  Why did God bring us here for this?  What now?

There are some parallels between this story and my current season of life.  I have prayed for years for a certain heart desire to be granted.  My previous circumstances were not unbearable.  I was content, but I continued to bring this desire before God from time to time.  He recently granted that longing to me, but it came in a rather unpleasant way. While I am enjoying my new-found freedom, there are aspects of it that are uncomfortable, potentially bitter.  My temptation is to question, why did you bring me here?  What now?

The solution for the bitter waters of Marah was a certain tree that God showed Moses.  God recently showed me a tree as well.  I found it in Psalms 69, a passage that foretells Jesus' sacrifice on a tree.   I have read this before but on this reading God cast the cross deep into the waters of my heart.  He revealed to me His love on a deeper level than I had previously seen it as I read phrases like, "my foolishness...my sins are not hid from thee" and words like "reproach, shame and dishonor."  It gripped my heart as I better understood the truth of "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us."   The verse that sweetened the waters of my heart the most was, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."  He didn't have to do that.

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

A God who will endure such for me loves me in a way I just can't quite wrap my mind around.  He loves you, too.  His ways are perfect, even when we don't see the big picture. I know that because of his love.  I will fix my eyes on the power he has demonstrated in my past and I will set my heart on his unfathomable love.

A closing thought "This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you."  But that's another blog...