EXODUS 15
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. – Exodus 15:22-27
EXODUS 15 BITTER WATER MADE SWEET
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
It did not take long for the Israelites to grumble after God’s miracles
It was when they went into the wilderness of Shur and found no water
They came and saw Marah but couldn’t drink of its bitter water
So, the Lord asked Moses to change it to something they can drink
The Lord offered them a promise that if they keep his laws
They will never have any of the diseases that the Egyptians had.
It is human nature to whine and grumble when circumstances become hard. In this case, it was the case of the bitter water for the Israelites. At the beginning, they were very resistant to come and follow Moses. They didn’t want to leave their comfort zones despite their slavery from the Egyptians. So, at the first instance of hardship, they easily complained to Moses.
Despite their groanings, the Lord provided them with sweet water from that bitter water at Marah. The Lord also required them to follow his laws and in turn, they wouldn’t ever have the diseases that the Egyptians were plagued with.
REFLECTION
- Why do you think men automatically complain when things are hard?
