WHEN YOU COME TO MARAH
By Doug Pierce
“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink’?” Exodus 15:22-24
WHEN YOU COME TO MARAH
Bitter things. No one likes bitter things. But bitter things are part of life. Life is not all honey and no bees. Roses do have thorns and we all face our Marahs or “bitter waters” to one degree or another. But the Lord teaches us some important truths from the Marah story in Exodus 15. If you remember, God’s people had just seen and personally experienced the greatest miracle of the Old Testament…the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh and his armies. Immediately after that amazing feat, the people take the first 21 verses of chapter 15 to rejoice and dance and sing over the great power of God. Life was good, and God was awesome! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
But then something happens that quickly silences their song and stole their joy. Within three short days, they ran out of water. When they finally do find water, it is bitter and undrinkable. They were facing Marah, and they began to grumble, gripe, belly ache and complain.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Have you been to Marah lately? You might answer, “I’ve never heard of Marah, much less, to say whether I’ve been there or not.” Oh yes, you’ve been there. And, it probably won’t be long until you’ll find yourself there again. You see, there’s a deeper spiritual meaning in the place called Marah. The word Marah means “bitter waters” or “a bitter place”. It’s certainly not a place we make plans to visit. But, in our walk with the Lord, it’s a place He’s sure to lead us from time to time. Perhaps you find yourself there today. How do you respond when you encounter the bitter things in life? What comes out of your mouth when the car breaks down, or the computer crashes, or sickness comes, or your job goes away, or the finances dry up, or a loved one passes away? What do you do, not if, but WHEN you come to Marah?
1.THE WRONG THING TO DO IS GRUMBLE.
The Bible says, “Do all things without grumbling” (Phil. 2:14). God hates grumbling, and He takes all of it personally. The people grumbled at Moses … but it wasn’t Moses, it was God Who was leading them. They may have thought they were simply grumbling at an imperfect man, but they were really grumbling at the perfect God. In Numbers 14, they again grumbled against Moses, and God said, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.”
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- THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TRUST AND PRAY.
Moses didn’t grumble, he cried out to the Lord. He knew that they were in need, and the God Who was faithful to bring them through the Red Sea just three days earlier, would be faithful to provide them the water they needed to survive. Listen my friend, God did not bring you this far to desert you now. It’s when you face difficult times He is stretching your faith. The most important thing in any relationship is trust. You take away trust between two friends and there’s not much left in that friendship. The same is true with the Lord, Who is a “friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Faith is what pleases the Lord most (see Heb 11:6). He will never let you down! He promises, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” In your Marah, trust and pray. The Lord is faithful! Have you “acknowledged“ Him as you face your dilemma? Are you perhaps, unintentionally, trying to figure things out yourself by leaning to your “own understanding”? Remember this: *When you find yourself living in fear, it’s a sure sign that you’ve forgotten Who the Lord is and what He has promised you in His Word!
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- THE RIGHT THING TO IS A FACTOR IN THE CROSS.
What happened next in this story is truly amazing! God answered Moses’ prayer by showing him a tree. The tree that God called Moses’ attention in Exodus 15 was not just any old tree. It is one of many wonderful pictures of the cross in the Old Testament. And, it’s in this story, we should be reminded of the power and provision we can find the cross today! Think of what happened here! When Moses threw in the tree, the bitter waters were made sweet and the people could freely drink.
What does that tell us? In every Marah, factor in the tree of Calvary, the cross on which Jesus died. The cross transforms every bitter experience and turns every negative into a positive. At the cross, all our sins were paid for, and access to the Father was freely granted to all who would believe.
The cross makes all the difference in the world. Because of the cross, no matter what Marah you may be facing today, God can use it for your good and His glory as you factor in the cross. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” This promise is for those who love God. Our loving Lord will take ALL THINGS, good or bad, and work them together for our good and for His glory! He is a GOOD God! Don’t forget Who He is and what He’s promised you!
Regardless of what your “MARAH” might be, He will transform it into a sweet and wonderful experience if you’ll trust Him today! The cross is a forever reminder of His love for you! The cross can enable you to forgive the unforgivable, love the unlovable, and overcome the insurmountable. So, what are you waiting for? Take your Marah to the cross, and watch God do a miracle!
Think it over…
Doug Pierce is a Church planter and a pastor. In 2003 he started, and continues to pastor First Independent Methodist Church in Madison, Mississippi. His #1 priority is to glorify God in all aspects of ministry. He does this through teaching his congregation to Love God, Love One Another, and Love Others to God. Prayer, outreach, and church growth through evangelism are vital parts of his ministry. He and his wife Suzanne live in Madison, Mississippi where they also enjoy their children and grandchildren.
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