When the children of Israel came up out of Egypt, they embarked on a journey through a hostile and barren desert. Only three days after crossing the Red Sea, two million people thirsted for water. They came to a lake called “Marah” but could not drink it because the water was bitter. Moses asked God what to do and God pointed out a tree and told Moses to throw it in the water. Whatever the properties of the tree were, we are not told. But the bitter waters were made sweet and the people were able to drink and be refreshed.
I like this account because like Israel, each day is a new journey we have not walked before. Though Roland and I love the adventure of life, we are very aware that the world around us is growing increasingly hostile and bitter.
But God has shown us a tree that has changed our perspective. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ allowed himself to be nailed to a cross and crucified to make an eternal exchange: his life for the world. Having bought the world with his redeeming blood, He became the Savior of all mankind, especially of those who believe. This means that Jesus Christ will have the final word when earth’s clock is run.
The worst atrocities in the world have been committed by those under the delusion that there is either no accountability with God, or that he is as corrupt as they are, and somehow approves of their violence and evil. But the God of the Bible is a God of justice – not vindictiveness. And the day He steps into this world’s scene a second time, everyone will say, “Truly, there is a reward for the righteous. Truly there is a God who judges in the earth.”
And this truth - makes bitter waters sweet.